Work/vacation time rant

mookow86 · November 2011

I'm a grad student and today in our group meeting my advisor just expressed displeasure that all of us are taking time off for Christmas. It's in our department's official policy that we get the time off from Christmas through New Years, and all of my group members are basically taking off exactly that amount of time- no more. And yet, he told us that we are abusing the vacation policy. WTF? I'm completely at a loss for words.

So...
How much vacation time do you get at your job per year?
Does your boss get angry if you take it?
Are you happy with the amount of time that you get?

alyaki · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_workvacation-time-rant?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:360c4d37-4f73-49d3-9b24-521e53cfc9dePost:dd6183dd-e489-4e5d-bb31-860bf6eab108">Work/vacation time rant</a>:
[QUOTE]So... How much vacation time do you get at your job per year? Does your boss get angry if you take it? Are you happy with the amount of time that you get?
Posted by mookow86[/QUOTE]

I'm probably an odd-ball, but my workplace generally get about 4 weeks off total. Our boss doesn't really care when we take off, provided that 1) we have a backup for our projects and 2) at least 1 person in each location is in office from our team. It's actually our project teams that give us grief about taking time off, especially when they get behind schedule and still want all of the testing that was originally agreed upon (with the original schedule). I've cancelled/moved around vacation a lot, though we have to take a certain amount every year since anything over 150 hours doesn't carry over. Sometimes, I almost think we get too much time off, but when I get sick, I'm sort of grateful for it.

ETA: Forgot to mention, I've been in your situation before, it's never fun, nor easy to deal with. You're definately not abusing it though.

Also, I'm sort of like Yaga - I feel guilty whenever I take off.

[Deleted User] · November 2011

After 5 years at my company I am now getting 3 weeks a year. In another 2 years i'll be bumped up to 3.6 weeks a year. I'm pretty happy with it seeing as most people only get 2. Of course i'd like more...but who wouldn't?

For my company, we decide when we want to use our time. It is accrued, so you can only use what you've built up to date. Management is pretty good about signing off on all requests. I've never been told I couldn't take time when I wanted to.

Sorry you're having to deal with your boss behaving like that. Is it a job where your office needs coverage? If so, I feel he should have addressed that with everyone in advance so people weren't surpriesd.

mookow86 · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_workvacation-time-rant?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:360c4d37-4f73-49d3-9b24-521e53cfc9dePost:bccef67c-a22f-4a56-bba1-a1dc979fe6af">Re: Work/vacation time rant</a>:
[QUOTE]After 5 years at my company I am now getting 3 weeks a year. In another 2 years i'll be bumped up to 3.6 weeks a year. I'm pretty happy with it seeing as most people only get 2. Of course i'd like more...but who wouldn't? For my company, we decide when we want to use our time. It is accrued, so you can only use what you've built up to date. Management is pretty good about signing off on all requests. I've never been told I couldn't take time when I wanted to. Sorry you're having to deal with your boss behaving like that. <strong>Is it a job where your office needs coverage?</strong> If so, I feel he should have addressed that with everyone in advance so people weren't surpriesd.
Posted by allusive007[/QUOTE]
Nope, I work independently in a lab so it's not like anyone's work depends on mine.

swhite2012 · November 2011

I don't have a regular full time job that provides vacation days since I'm still in school. At my two jobs I can request certain days off, but I feel bad doing that excessively.

I am used to not necessarily having time off around the holidays. Growing up, my dad was (still is) a full time career firefighter. The way their schedule works he would have to work on Christmas or other holidays every other year. We just were used to it and accepted that we would do family stuff not on Christmas. So I guess that has lead me to have a more lassez faire attitude about working on holidays. It's just something that has always been a part of my life, so it's not too big of a deal. Although, if I can have it off it's always nice!

ejay15 · November 2011

That's so annoying. I definitely feel for you! Bosses need to understand that you're not a workhorse, and time off is important and deserved.

How much vacation time do you get at your job per year?
I only get 4 hours accrued for each pay period (bi-weekly, so 1 day a month). This includes ANY PTO, so I have to use those hours for sick time, too. I hate it.

Does your boss get angry if you take it?
My boss doesn't get angry, but she does give me a hard time and asks my other coworkers to see if they're "OK" with it, too. I once asked for time off (three months in advance) because my parents were coming out to visit but I'd already been scheduled to do something at work. Rather than saying OK, as long as you can find someone to cover for you, she said I would have to come in just for that time I was scheduled for a meeting. We ended up working it out, but it was really annoying that she initially wasn't willing to come up with another solution.

Are you happy with the amount of time that you get?
No, I'm not. I left my job in Ohio that I'd been at for 4 years, where I automatically got 3 weeks vacation every year plus additional sick time. When I moved out to Washington and got this job, it was kind of a slap in the face that I started with a 0 hours balance of PTO and have even had to take unpaid time off. It kind of felt like I reverted back to the bottom of the totem pole. I guess I shouldn't complain and be happy I have a job, but I was spoiled before...

Swazzle · November 2011

Technically, I get 5 weeks vacation/personal/sick days. My office is pretty laid back. We have a vacation book, you write in what days you're taking & you take them. I scheduled about 17 vacation days, took 2 personal days, & took 6 days off when my Grandpop was in the hospital & for his funeral. So I took exactly 25 total this year. If I took more nobody would probably notice & if they did they wouldn't care.

I have to coordinate my days with 2 other people though because 2 of the 3 of us always have to be here.

Of course I would always LOVE more time off haha but I feel pretty fortunate to get as much time as I get.

[Deleted User] · November 2011

for the first 3 years of federal service, I get:
13 days of sick
13 days annual leave
10 holidays
1 required leave day (day after Thanksgiving, have to use our own leave)

starting next year, I'll get:
19.5 days of sick
19.5 days of annual leave
10 holidays
1 required leave for day after Thanksgiving

I'm not sure what happens next. I suppose after 5 years or 10 years or something, it'll go up.

I also work about 2.5-3 hours extra every week and save it as credit hours, so I can take off early or go to doctor's appointments without having to use leave.

however, the government does not give any type of maternity leave. so I have to save up all my sick time for a few years before I'll have enough for a good maternity leave. that really sucks. ironically, my H's job pays for 6 weeks of paternity leave for him! so I guess I'll pop out the baby and go back to work, and H will take care of her/him for 6 weeks? that's crappy!

I feel bad about taking leave. my boss never gets back to me with approval, so I just have to assume it's okay. she also micromanages everything, and has to know exactly why we're not going to be there (you're not really supposed to do that!). she also thinks she determines what kind of leave... for example, one of the guys in my group bowls a lot. he was in a big competition last night and blew out his back. so his doctor put him on bed rest for the rest of the week. my boss told him that he can't take sick leave for that, it has to be annual leave. hello! the guy is INJURED... that's SICK leave.

/vent over.

mookow86 · November 2011

yaga- my boss does sound kind of like your old one but not nearly as bad. I'm sorry you had to deal with that! Ugh!

desertsun · November 2011

I actually really enjoyed being a retail manager at a bookstore, EXCEPT for when it came to holiday time off. I left b/c I couldn't take it any more. My family is the most important thing in the world to me, and some members I only got to see at Christmas, but people who had family in town were allowed to take days off and I was not. It was BS.

So now I work at a job with a set schedule and I am allowed to have time off at the holidays, provided I can work out coverage with my colleagues. It's never yet been a big issue.

I accrue sick and vacation time, and I believe it adds up to about 16 days of vacation and 12 days of sick per year, plus quite a few paid university/federal holidays. I am allowed to carry over time from one year to the next so no, it's no big if I don't use my time, but we do lose it at some point so I make sure I do use mine.

deburnin · November 2011

I don't get sick time or vacation time which blows. At the one job it's because I'm part time and it's just not offered and at the other I have to be there something like a year months before they start giving me part-time benefits. I really hope that I'm not there long enough to qualify for those... I go to work all the time or I have to switch with people/take days without pay. I feel bad for spreading the germs when I'm sick, but I can't afford to not go.

wink0erin · November 2011

How much vacation time do you get at your job per year?
I accrue 5 hrs per pay period (biweekly) Sick time is a separate accrural (6 hrs per pay period) and I get all the state and federal holidays off from work. I'm spoiled.

Does your boss get angry if you take it?
Not at all. All I have to do is make sure the person I do backup for isn't going to be out that day/week.

At my old job my boss would raise a fit if any of us took vacation. He got mad when people took a full week. I took three days off once and he was a jerk about it.

Are you happy with the amount of time that you get?
YES! I'm spoiled... since we get all the state and federal holidays off I end up with a long weekend almost every month. The only thing that sucks is that we're required to take a full week (5 consecutive workdays) off every year. I'd rather save those hours and put them toward some extra long weekends rather than use them all up at once.

lunarsongbird · November 2011

I don't have any vacation time or sick time because I'm a temp.

However- my boss lets me take an unpaid day here or there.

kbbouch · November 2011

I get two weeks. TWO WEEKS. It blows.

doubleSS07 · November 2011

How much vacation time do you get at your job per year?
I get 10 days vacation, 10 holidays (2 floating) and 5 sick days. The cool thing my company owner does is if you don't use any sick leave she pays you out in cash at the end of the year! SAWEET!

Does your boss get angry if you take it?
Not at all. Actaully I still have 3 days of vacation left and she's the one bugging me about taking them before the end of the year!

My last job I was a manager and it was technically retail so I NEVER had holidays and asking for vacation time was like cursing at the President of the company or something not to mention they would call and bother you on your time off. I hated it! I think that's why I still feel guilty taking the time off when I do.

Are you happy with the amount of time that you get?
Yes I am definitely happy with the amount of time off I get. i would love more but who wouldn't right! my boss is cool and lets me come in early if I need to leave early for appointments and they let us leave early all the time on Fridays and the days before holidays without docking us. It reminds me of when I was working for the Federal Gov't...now THAT was some time off.

Stina51286 · November 2011

Yaga I am finding us more and more a like as I read your posts... I also do the google spreadsheet thing.

I have 3 wks vacation, sick is whatever you use as long as your not abusing it and all holidays. I dont get OT so whatever OT i do work I have worked out with my boss that I take extra days so this yr I technically had 6 wks, gets kind of boring.

No my boss doesn't get mad when I use them but jokes around bc Im the main person here that does all the accounting and whatnot.

Happy yes bc I can use it whenever but sometimes id rather get paid OT for it.

susanv85 · December 2011

My vacation schedule is a bit different, because I'm a resident at a hospital. We get 4 weeks vacation which we can take all at once or in 2 week blocks, and we can request vacation when the schedules get made, but its no guarantee you'll get it. Our year runs July to July, and vacation requests for the upcoming year go out in feburary. Usually around may, you have your schedule for the upcoming year, and whenever they assign you vacation is when you get it. Nobody can take off the first 2 weeks of July or the last 2 weeks of June. We are also off 5 holidays/year. Generally, you will work either Christmas or New Year, but you can request which holidays are most important for you to be off. We have sick days, and the policy is to use them, but in practice, it's very hard to use them because then they need to find coverage. We do get comp days for working holidays, but the days you want to take them have to be arranged in advance. We also get 1 weekend a month off, and you're required to have a full 24 hr period off every 7 days. A lot of times, that means finishing at 5 pm on Thursday to come back at 5 pm on friday and work overnight. Still, I love what I do, and it's only for a few years, and the hopefully my schedule can get a little more flexible.

thejucheidea · December 2011

How much vacation time do you get at your job per year? 100 hours of vacation and then another 40 personal and 50 sick. Everything but the personal time rolls to the next year. We also have a lot of holidays and only work four days a week.

Does your boss get angry if you take it? No, but we have to make sure that there aren't two nurses on vacation at the same time. I typically ask for time off four months or so before we want to go on vacation.

Are you happy with the amount of time that you get? Yes, because I'd never use more than that. We're way too busy of a clinic with way too few nurses -- we have a probably a couple hundred patients on studies and only seven nurses in the entire clinic.

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