"CEO’s Bold Request: Will Staff Step Up to Save Their Exhausted Coworker’s PTO or Just Keep Watching Netflix?"
Added on April 22, 2026 inFREE ASTROLOGY
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What do you do when life throws you a curveball and leaves you without the paid time off (PTO) you need? Is it fair to expect your coworkers to step in and help during tough times, or shouldn’t the boss take the reins? In a rather eyebrow-raising twist, one CEO recently suggested that employees “donate” their hard-earned PTO days to a co-worker who has run out. You might think it’s a noble act of camaraderie, but the reaction was anything but warm and fuzzy. This situation has sparked quite the debate, especially with Mercury in retrograde stirring up communication chaos! Curious how this plays out? Well, buckle up, because we’re diving into the moral conundrum of workplace ethics, compassion, and what it really takes to support one another in times of need—while juggling the cosmic vibes of the stars! LEARN MORE.
Depending on the job a person has, they’re usually afforded paid time off, or PTO. Technically, PTO isn’t required by law, but it has become pretty standard in the workforce.
But what happens when an employee runs out of PTO when they still need more? Should they have to turn to their colleagues for help, or should their boss step in? One CEO highlighted this dilemma in a new way by asking their employees to “donate” their PTO to a co-worker in need.
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A frustrated worker posted the message their company’s CEO shared in their office in the r/antiwork subreddit, calling it “pathetic.” On the notice, the CEO stated that a “long-term employee of 17 years … has been in the hospital and rehab for several months. She has exhausted all her PTO days and her benefits are running out. As you can imagine, this has been quite a drain on her family’s income.”
The CEO asked other employees to donate “one or more days of their PTO” to the sick employee, adding, “Thank you for your consideration.”
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Naturally, this drew quite the reaction on Reddit. Many people proclaimed it was an unnecessary guilt trip against hardworking employees at the company.
“This is manipulation and disgusting [that] they would do that. It’s not the worker’s responsibility to pay other co-workers,” one user wrote.
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Another person said, “If anyone at any company has the power to just give PTO days to a 17-year veteran of the business, you would think it would be the President/CEO.”
In the United States, the average worker has 11 days of vacation time and eight sick days per year, as well as just about eight paid holidays. That’s considered incredibly low compared to other countries, where some workers may receive up to 50 days of PTO.
Yan Krukau | Pexels
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The U.S. is also the only country in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that doesn’t offer guaranteed holidays or PTO. It’s no wonder so many employees suffer from burnout and the inability to balance their home life with their careers!
According to a 2023 study, “Access to paid sick leave means less occupational injury, spread of contagious disease, presenteeism (the act of workers going to work while ill), and employee death.” Additionally, offering employees paid sick leave “was related to favorable business conditions such as employee morale and job satisfaction, improved retention, higher profitability and firm performance, and favorable labor market conditions.”
Every business needs to remain profitable, and it requires the work of employees to do so. CEOs can’t be expected to approve long stretches of PTO for any reason at all. But when someone has an extenuating circumstance, like an illness, it would mean a lot for them to be granted a bit more flexibility.
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Still, a survey from the American Society of Employers found that 25% of companies have some kind of program in place that allows, and even encourages, employees to donate their PTO to others who may need it. This leaves everyone at a disadvantage because some workers feel obligated to give up time off that they need, while others have no choice but to ask their colleagues for help in case of an emergency.
Nicola Barts | Pexels
CEOs, the ones who are in charge of the PTO policy, could certainly change protocol to accommodate their employees, especially those who have been there for nearly two decades. The fact that this particular CEO is guilt-tripping their other workers shows how disposable employees are to management.
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Things will happen in life that force employees to use up all or most of their PTO. It would mean a lot for their employers to show them some empathy and use their power to make a beneficial change that could positively affect their lives. Instead, CEOs like this one prove how, time and time again, greed is the only thing that matters to them.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
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