Can I get fired for taking a week of holiday leave from my job?
Yes, your boss is allowed to deny you your requested holiday leave and he is allowed to terminate your employment if you are absent from your job for that period of time despite his denial. However, his ultimatum does not have a legal basis and you are not required to resign from your position. Sometimes employers will try to coerce an employee into resigning simply to avoid any subsequent claims that the employee could file against them with the regional employment standards bureau. For example, you may have been hired on as a casual worker, but certain activities and the length of your employment may legally define you as a full time employee, which grants you a greater set of rights than you would have otherwise had access to, including required holiday leave. I’m not saying that this is true in your case, but having you resign is a way for the employer to indemnify himself from some potential liability.
