[kjb]

I'm an engineer in a Silicon Valley start-up and every time I want to use PTO it's like pulling teeth. Earlier this year, I was getting close to the 240 hour cap, and I had to play a game of chicken with my manager to be able to use some of it before it stopped accruing.

I still have well over 100 hours of PTO balance, and I'd like to fly to Europe to attend a wedding of two very close friends in late September. My manager is (as always) worried about the schedule and wants me to back down and stay at work.

My (somewhat European?) opinion is that there's never a good time to take vacation, but it is something that you've accrued and should be able to use (given sufficient notice).

Several of my coworkers have adapted the policy of just taking off without any notice or questions. I find that disrespectful to your coworkers and employer, and I don't pull that card myself. Other coworkers are not as adamant as I and haven't had a real vacation in over four years.

What do you think is reasonable? Any employers out there? Anyone else in my position?

/ J