Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is that better or worse than if you miss it because your boss wouldn't let you go at all? I've had friends from the USA eat the cost of a plane ticket because their supervisor told them they'd get time off for a visit to Germany, but then got dunked on two weeks before the flight by their supervisor's supervisor, precisely because they wouldn't have been able to react to emergencies in Germany, and this entirely due…
Speaking of Germany... Here in Germany your employer can only cancel already approved vacations if a real emergency happens (e.g. the company will go bankrupt if you leave) and you haven't started your trip yet. And your employer also has to eat all costs you have because your delayed trip.
Have you seen the latest movie of Michael Moore "Where to invade next?" http://wheretoinvadenext.com ? Hilarious and insightful regarding this and many other topics where Europe and USA differ.