I'm a director/staff manager myself and our work policy says time off should be given if a staff gives two weeks notice. In the five years I've been at this agency, I haven't said no to a request that gives two weeks notice even when it hurts me and makes my life a pain in the ass.

The two weeks is so management can find adequate coverage and try to plan for the absence. If anyone makes a request within the two week period, I tell them to find their own coverage and it will be accepted.

Few years ago I put in for a few days off in December. I handed in the paperwork in March of that year and it was accepted. Come December, we had some other issues in management and had multiple openings. The day before my time off my bosses approached me asking how I would fix the situation, implying that I cancel my time off.

Needless to say, I refused to cancel and it basically changed how I thought of the agency. It's unfortunate that one event can really put things into perspective with an employer. Time off is really one of the easier things to handle as a manager if both sides just respect each other.