In 2010, life took an unexpected turn when my wife received a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. Navigating this challenging period required numerous sick days for chemotherapy, radiation appointments, and surgeries. Fortunately, my employer offered a combined PTO system, encompassing both vacation and sick leave, along with 10 holidays. However, the policy stipulated that floating holidays had to be used within the calendar year or they would be forfeited.
As the year progressed, the demands of my wife’s care led me to exhaust my PTO, despite having pre-approved leave from management. It was then that something truly remarkable happened. My teammates and company leadership, from my direct manager all the way to the company owners, collectively donated their floating holiday time to me. This incredible act of generosity restored my PTO balance to a positive standing by year’s end. Remarkably, this wasn’t a standard policy; in fact, it went against a stipulation in the employee manual. As a relatively new employee, having joined in January 2010, this gesture wasn’t rooted in long-term loyalty.
Words cannot adequately express my gratitude when my manager shared this news. I was the only one privy to the list of contributors and the number of days each person donated. Receiving this notification just before Christmas in 2010, I’ve always considered it the best gift, a true “holiday” gift in every sense.
While I’m no longer with that company due to the fluctuating nature of DoD contracting, the memory of their extraordinary kindness remains. I eagerly await the next opportunity to work with them again.
