Context: I'm in my first office job. Previously I have worked in restaurants, nannying, and the odd whatever while in uni. Obviously I never had paid time off, but I would take plenty of unpaid time off if my budget afforded it. My position now is in a non-profit that holds a contract with a level of government. We get three weeks of paid time off, I've already taken one this year. My partner really wants to go on a month long road trip, which I obviously want to go on too. I asked my supervisor to take a month off, using my two weeks and then taking two weeks unpaid. Apparently I'm not allowed to take a month off because then it turns into having to ask for a leave of absence so my request was denied. I am disappointed and honestly thinking of looking for another job. I enjoy what I do (social work-ish) and would like to continue but I'm wondering: is this the norm? Am I forever going to be bound by exactly what my employer allows me to take off? A part of me feels like a pissy baby because having paid time off at all is pretty sweet as I've never had it before but also I feel that if I want to take unpaid time off, it's my time and I should be able to take it off. Gah!