Vacation and Sick Time Question

[BCoffClone125]

I’m jealous of the OP’s situation. I’ve been at my company for just over 4 years and got the bump from 10 days PTO a year to 12, accrued at 8 hours a month. As a salaried employee, I technically have unlimited sick days, but call in maybe once or twice a year when I’m legitimately sick.

We don’t have to use PTO for doctor’s appointments, etc. but I would still rather have one larger lump of PTO that I can use at my own digression (I am married to a teacher, so the winter break and spring break take up nearly all of my PTO time). Probably the biggest complaint with other young engineers at our company is our lack of time off. Most of us like to travel, and especially living in Iowa, it’s nice to get out and see the world every once in a while.

 

[cycloner29]

Humblebrag much? Rough life you live

After 28 years in the sales world, not burning any bridges, being honest, earning the respect of others, having employers coming to me for a job, working my ass off in the process, living in the same small ranch style house for 20 years, put one kid through college (working on the second one), having my spouse work also to help pay the bills.... it's kinda nice to think that all the sacrifices you have made over the years to make your family life a little better, that something would finally come your way. I am just humbled by it and the fact that I have never been in a situation like this before. Am I living the dream yet? No, someone else's dream yet. Sorry if I peed in your Wheaties today.

 

[Clonepackof1]

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is that unused PTO is carried on the company books as an expense. In essence, debt. Those large balances in companies with large employees become a serious drag on EBITDA. That's why it's extremely difficult to find a public company that doesn't cap PTO at levels that in later years almost force employees to take time off regularly. I had a guy take Fridays off for a year and a half (plus normal sick/vacation time as needed) to work his balance down.

Our company went to PTO instead of separate sick vacation time, partially for reasons stated earlier, and partially for this reason: It discriminates against healthy people, and people without children. If you assume that no one "cheats" on sick time (a stretch at best), that means that healthy people and people who don't have to worry about sick kids are working more and in essence covering for those that do. So, we did away with sick and basically said everyone accrues PTO at a rate faster than "vacation" (but less than the combined vacation/sick) to use however they would like. For the most part, everyone was happy with it - except those who abused the crap out of sick days.

 

[LarryISU]

My son-in-law works at CSG and they have gone to a policy where there is no vacation time, no sick time, no PTO. They do not keep track of your absences, or so they say. You can take off time whenever as long as you let your manager know ahead of time and he/she does not object. Seems to be working well so far. His manager has even come to him on a Thursday and said "You have had a good week, take Friday off." He is NOT in sales either. Took a two week vacation this summer to travel - no problem.

Now, the flip side is that he works a lot after hours, being on call at times to deal with customers any time of the day or night. So the company easily gets more extra hours out of him than he could ever take off. But at this point, 2017 being the first year of this new "benefit", he says he likes it.

 

[mkadl]

I think more places are going the "lump PTO" route instead of the "x-number sick days, x-number vacation, x-number personal" route. Easier for the company to not have to track different things and gives the employee more freedom and responsibility as they don't have to justify a day away (as much, anyway).

Does your company have a PTO-exchange policy? Can you "give" some days to co-workers looking to take a trip or who may need it for sick kids, postpartum, etc.?

Converting that accrued stuff to PTO can be tough. If unions are involved next to hopeless.

 

[mkadl]

If you don't accrue time off then you just took a pay cut vs accruing PTO.

This is a trend that sucks as people who don't accrue PTO typically don't take as much time off and can't cash in unpaid PTO when they leave.

It's garbage

We can cash in, when you leave employment 50% of your sick leave accumulated. Tax free, if you use it for health insurance. Even if it is your next employer or your spouses or full retirement.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

My son-in-law works at CSG and they have gone to a policy where there is no vacation time, no sick time, no PTO. They do not keep track of your absences, or so they say. You can take off time whenever as long as you let your manager know ahead of time and he/she does not object. Seems to be working well so far. His manager has even come to him on a Thursday and said "You have had a good week, take Friday off." He is NOT in sales either. Took a two week vacation this summer to travel - no problem.

Now, the flip side is that he works a lot after hours, being on call at times to deal with customers any time of the day or night. So the company easily gets more extra hours out of him than he could ever take off. But at this point, 2017 being the first year of this new "benefit", he says he likes it.

I am in an industry that has sharply shifted toward this model as well. It's better for the employer because most employees weren't using all of their PTO anyway so they cashed it out later. Now it's "unlimited" but the nature of the business is that you have to be pretty senior before you can really take advantage of it in any way. So the employer has nothing to pay out down the line but the employee's behavior isn't really changed.

 

[Cyched]

Yeah, the OP has a good deal.

I get 15 vacation days and 6 sick days accrued per year. Though we're also paid hourly vs. salaried, so we're allowed to use sick time hours for doctor/dentist appointments and such.

 

[BCClone]

I had everything lumped together, vacation, sick and holidays. I got close to 300 hours a year. I could sell up to 80 hours a year back at 90% cash. If I showed up read and responded to email and listened and responded to voice mail and carried a cell for emergencies, it was considered a day. I could wrap that stuff up in about 30-45 minutes.

 

[CTTB78]

The company has you right where they want you when you feel you can't take all of the vacation that you've earned.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I didn't read through the thread, but I'm guessing mine works a little differently than most. I earn 6 hours of vacation and 4 hours of sick every pay period (2 week), and I can have a maximium of 240 vacation at the end of the year. April of 2019 I will have 15 years in and I'll start earning 8 hours of vacation every pay period.

 

[Rabbuk]

The company has you right where they want you when you feel you can't take all of the vacation that you've earned.

This is where I am at... I work at a job with a staff of 9 and I am the only one who can do what I do, due to location. I can't ever have someone fill in for me. Will be a big factor in me leaving.

 

[Acylum]

I didn't read through the thread, but I'm guessing mine works a little differently than most. I earn 6 hours of vacation and 4 hours of sick every pay period (2 week), and I can have a maximium of 240 vacation at the end of the year. April of 2019 I will have 15 years in and I'll start earning 8 hours of vacation every pay period.

Hello, fellow federal employee.

 

[Bobber]

Have been with my current company 24 years. Get about 5 weeks of vacation and 4 to 5 weeks of sick days(have taken maybe 1 to 2 days of sick in my entire career). It has always been a use it or lose it policy. No banking or pay out if you leave. I use up most of the vacation time each year and it's good for me. I office at home and it's a self reporting policy. The rest of the time I work 50 to 60 hour weeks. Good company with good employee moral partially due to these policies in my opinion.

 

[NickTheGreat]

---Now, the flip side is that he works a lot after hours, being on call at times to deal with customers any time of the day or night. So the company easily gets more extra hours out of him than he could ever take off. But at this point, 2017 being the first year of this new "benefit", he says he likes it.

Sounds like a good system . . .