Good day and thank you kindly for reading and possibly responding to this post.

Please take into consideration that I am not an incredibly informed person and I would like to offer my sincerest apologies in advance if this is not a question to be asked here, or if you should feel I have wasted your most valuable asset, Time.
I would also like to give sincere gratitude to anyone who reads this post. Even if you did not reply, You still took the time to read this. For that, I am eternally grateful.

I very recently requested to take annual leave due to circumstances beyond my direct control. It is not from emergency but from necessity. I have an annual leave balance of over 20 days. My employer, who will remain unnamed, has denied such request, knowing that my report for duty will be very hard in light of a pressing matter beyond my direct control.

My employer refused leave on the grounds of the ongoing pandemic in which demand of services are at an all time high. I see the validation of his argument, however I also know that very recently we had another staff member out of action due to an emergency situation and thus I know having me absent from duty is possible without the employer suffering under the pressures. I also know that the employer willingly permits another staff member stationed at our location to report to another location everyday. I am unsure of the necessity of this action so I will exempt this from consideration.

My question is this: Is an employer entitled to deny an employee annual leave? In what situations is this action permitted? Is the employer acting correctly or am I acting incorrectly?

Thank you for reading this and your replies.

To anyone reading this, please note that I do not in any way, shape, or form intend to harm or allow harmful actions. I merely intend to inform as I believe in free and easily accessible information.