Do you use all of your vacation?

[flipper35]

I accumulate about 9.5 hours per week at the moment but some that have worked here longer get close to 12 hours per week. They roll over and you have the option of cashing them out if you have more than you plan to use.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by romad

Next time they question your use of vacation time, ask them why they offer it? Or tell them you'll take cash instead.

I brought this up to my manager at the time. We had guys in my group working 10-12 hours a day (and some weekends) with very little vacation time ever taken. I mentioned that vacation isn't really a benefit if you're not able to use it and that the situation was bad for morale. He asked for suggestions and I suggested that employees be able to "sell" vacation back. At least that way you'd get some compensation. I had over 6 weeks of vacation saved up at the time, but couldn't use it.

He laughed.

Boeing had zero respect or consideration for employee's "quality of life". One of the main reasons I left.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by flipper35

I accumulate about 9.5 hours per week at the moment but some that have worked here longer get close to 12 hours per week. They roll over and you have the option of cashing them out if you have more than you plan to use.

12 weeks of vacation per year?!?? 9.5(52) = 494 hours (or 12.35 weeks)?

I get 2.3 hours/week.

[willtel]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

How many of you work while on vacation? I have found this to be a great way to avoid being swamped with work when you return, and it also helps insure forward progress when you're gone. When I take vacation I bring my Blackberry and my laptop, I typically check my BB during downtime during the day and I can log into my work PC via laptop in the evening if necessary. I maybe spend 30 minutes a day doing work stuff, mostly at night when my wife and kids have gone to sleep.

Never. Ever. If I am not in the office I may as well be in a black hole. If you are working on vacation then you are not on vacation.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by willtel

Never. Ever. If I am not in the office I may as well be in a black hole. If you are working on vacation then you are not on vacation.

I'm just happy to be out of the office. I tend to be pretty heavily invested in what I do, so it's not a big deal to me.

[Tobra]

self employed, do brief vacations

nobody seems to be willing to pay for my vacations besides me, paid vacation, hah

[flipper35]

Since it is used as any PTO whether sick time, personal days, holiday pay or vacation there ar those here that abuse it and call in sick one day a week. A lot of people sell it back as well. THe wages might not be great but our benifits package is pretty decent with PTO, dental, vision etc. If you go on disability though, it comes out of your PTO bank first.

[Hugh R]

I get 27 PTO days plus major holidays. Of that ten is sick, use or loose. I don't max out either, but will take off if I've accumulated vacation where I'll start to lose it. I travel a lot for work, so a vacation for me is not going anywhere?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

Self-employed, no employees.
It took me over 20 years to figure out I deserved some mental health days.
Jim

Slow learner.
It took me ten years to figure it out. I thought when I left the office and closed the door everything went out like the light in a refrigerator.

[imcarthur]

For the last 20 years, I have basically taken what I want. Never less than 3 weeks & never more than 5 plus I can schedule off days for 'stuff' almost anytime. Could I have made more money if I was more diligent? No question. But along the way I decided that my life was not just about my work. Anybody that doesn't max out vacation time is foolish imho.

Ian

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by willtel

Never. Ever. If I am not in the office I may as well be in a black hole. If you are working on vacation then you are not on vacation.

Not just yes but hell yes!!!!

When I was in Hawaii I left my cell phone off for three days... my friends thought I had fallen off the face of the earth!

I think I get 3 weeks a year... try to take at least one week and a bunch of long weekends.

[vash]

Originally Posted by IROC

12 weeks of vacation per year?!?? 9.5(52) = 494 hours (or 12.35 weeks)?

I get 2.3 hours/week.

i agree.. flipper is either bad at math, or he has a SWEET gig. 25% of his time is vacation!!

[s_morrison57]

I found out about a week ago that I will be getting from June 12 to Sept 30 off, I've already had over 3 months off this year and will probably end up with about 7.5-8 months holidays this year all of it is paid time off, bummer is I don't get my bonus pay and thats my car money but Yes - I do love my job.
Finn

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by IROC

I brought this up to my manager ... He asked for suggestions ..

He laughed.

...

He is one smart cookie!

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

I get 27 PTO days ...

so, those are Power Take Off days?

[gprsh924]

Take everyday I'm given, spread out mostly as a series of 3-4 day weekends throughout the year. I try to avoid work when I'm gone, but it's not always possible. However, I more than make up the hours that I'm off the rest of the year, so I have no qualms about taking every second of vacation time allotted to me.

[Drisump]

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

Self-employed, no employees.
It took me over 20 years to figure out I deserved some mental health days.
Jim

Same here, no workie, no pay. No paid statutory holidays or regular yearly. So most years I occasionally take long weekends (sometimes extra long) but every couple of years we do a big trip to some far flung place for six weeks or so. Cheers

[aigel]

I work hard, but I do take every day I earn. And i do not work on my vacation. I often go to the boonies and share that fact, so nobody expects me to pick up the phone or read email. If you manage things well at work, you can leave for a week or two without major issues.

You do need down time, otherwise you will go nuts. I used to take a lot of long weekends but have learned that a whole week away is much better for recreation.

On a final note, you do realize that vacation time is often negotiable when you start a new job. As an exra week is only about 2-3% for the company, it may be easier to get an extra week than more $.

Back to the OP - how can the US have zero vacation days? I am not following that. Everyone I know, even the blue collar friends have at least a week ...

G

[gprsh924]

Originally Posted by aigel

I work hard, but I do take every day I earn. And i do not work on my vacation. I often go to the boonies and share that fact, so nobody expects me to pick up the phone or read email. If you manage things well at work, you can leave for a week or two without major issues.

You do need down time, otherwise you will go nuts. I used to take a lot of long weekends but have learned that a whole week away is much better for recreation.

On a final note, you do realize that vacation time is often negotiable when you start a new job. As an exra week is only about 2-3% for the company, it may be easier to get an extra week than more $.

Back to the OP - how can the US have zero vacation days? I am not following that. Everyone I know, even the blue collar friends have at least a week ...

G

The other countries shown have laws requiring minimum vacation times for employees. While virtually all employers in the US provide vacation, there is no law that requires it.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by gprsh924

The other countries shown have laws requiring minimum vacation times for employees. While virtually all employers in the US provide vacation, there is no law that requires it.

Wow. I didn't know that. I am truly shocked.

Ian