This question comes up a lot, especially during busy seasons or when teams are stretched thin:
“Can I deny an employee’s PTO request?”
Here’s the short answer:
When it comes to vacation or general paid time off, you can. But when it comes to sick leave in Washington State, the answer is no.
Let’s break that down and talk about the ripple effect this decision can have on your team.
PTO vs. Paid Sick Leave in Washington
In Washington State, employers are facing a gauntlet of laws/protections as it relates to varying state and city policies. Most employees earn Paid Sick Leave (PSL) under state law, but if you do business in Seattle or Tacoma, you need to be compliant with the city specific laws in addition the state. If an employee has a disability under the ADA, then you have another area to ensure compliance.
Unlike vacation or PTO, you legally cannot deny someone’s sick leave request if they’ve accrued the time and are using it for a qualifying reason like illness, caregiving, domestic violence support, or immigration appointments.
That’s a non-negotiable.
But vacation time or PTO? That’s different. Those policies are employer-controlled. You’re within your rights to set guidelines, require notice, and yes, even deny a request if it conflicts with operational needs. It’s completely legal to say no when the timing just doesn’t work for your business.
That said… just because you can deny vacation doesn’t mean you should at least not without thinking it through.
What Culture Are You Building?
When leaders ask me if they can reject a time off request, I always ask them – what’s the impact on your culture?
Denying vacation too often or without clear, consistent reasoning can create resentment, burnout, and disengagement. I’ve seen it firsthand: high performers who start job searching because every time they try to recharge, they’re told no.
If your team is working hard, you want to make sure they know rest is respected. That builds loyalty.
Here’s How I Recommend Handling It
- Be proactive: If you have peak seasons or blackouts, make that clear in your handbook.
- Set expectations early: Encourage teams to coordinate coverage and plan ahead.
- Say no respectfully: If you truly can’t accommodate time off, offer alternative dates or compromises. Have a conversation with the employee to understand the situation.
- Track time equitably: Make sure no one person is always getting denied while others get priority.
- Tip: If you approve their vacation time, let them be on vacation. Don’t call or contact your employees and set the expectation that you do not expect them to check emails or be available while away. They need time off completely disconnected from work.
And when it comes to sick leave—don’t touch it. In Washington, if an employee has the time accrued and needs to use it for a qualifying reason, you are required to approve it. Denying that time could lead to compliance issues or even a claim with the Labor & Industries (L&I) department.
Final Thought
Managing time off is about more than just plugging holes in the schedule. It’s about showing your team you respect their time and that you trust them to balance their work and personal lives. When you get that right, you’ll see the payoff in morale, retention, and performance.
So yes, you can say no to vacation time. Just be thoughtful about how, when, and why because people remember how you treat them when they’re asking for rest.
Want help building a PTO policy that protects your operations and your people? Let’s chat.