Vacation time?

[Mithrandir]

How much vacation time do you get? Is it enough? How much vacation time do you feel that employees should get?

I have been at my job for almost 27 years and I get 4 weeks (maxed out). I have a group text of 8 friends and they all work full-time and get from 2 weeks to 8 weeks.

The friend who gets 2 weeks is a CPA with over 25 years of experience (about 10 with his current company) and he is always bitching that "everyone gets to much vacation time". Of course it's sour grapes because he only gets 2 weeks. The friend who gets 8 weeks has been at the same job (lab tech) for 25 years.

I realize that there is probably a wide variance on how much vacation time one gets depending on a variety of factors.

Good owners and companies should provide plenty of vacation time for their employees.

[B-Fly]

I think 4 weeks is a decent standard. I've received as few as two and as many as 5, but have never really been able to take the 5 when I've had it.

[Gregg]

I get 3 weeks. We can only carry over 1 week. If we don't use it we lose it.

I agree with B-Fly, 4 weeks is a decent standard.

[umjewman]

I have no specific set vacation time. I could theoretically take as much as I want but I am ruled by billable hours, so there's a clear metric that will tell everyone if I took too much time off. I usually take one full week and then days here and there. I probably end up taking between 2 and 3 weeks over the course of a year.

[Sour Masher]

I get almost 3 months off every summer, and a couple of weeks at Christmas, and a week from spring break. Although, not completely, because I choose to teach summer classes for extra cash, and I do spend time doing prep and academic admin work in my "off" time, but that isn't full time work. I probably only have 2-3 weeks where I am completely off the clock, but I have a gloriously great amount of time where I'm part time and able to make my own schedule (my summer classes are online).

I went to school for a very long time, and don't make good money compared to most with advanced degrees, but I wouldn't trade the time off and flexibility it gives me.

[hacko]

I have 4 weeks and 1 Personal day. But am Salary and do get paid even if I call off ( which I don't) 2 missed days in 42 years of work.

I gave back 5 Vacation days last year.

3 years ago I gave back 8 V days,

Haven't used my full amount of vacation days in 8 years

[Mithrandir]

I have no specific set vacation time. I could theoretically take as much as I want but I am ruled by billable hours, so there's a clear metric that will tell everyone if I took too much time off. I usually take one full week and then days here and there. I probably end up taking between 2 and 3 weeks over the course of a year.

That seems awfully low. Is that standard in the legal profession? (I assume that you are in the legal profession)

[Mithrandir]

I have 4 weeks and 1 Personal day. But am Salary and do get paid even if I call off ( which I don't) 2 missed days in 42 years of work.

I gave back 5 Vacation days last year.

3 years ago I gave back 8 V days,

Haven't used my full amount of vacation days in 8 years

How the FUCK do you only miss 2 days in 42 years?????? Is there a reason you seem to be so "nice" to your employer(s)?

I find it insane that you don't use your vacation days!!

[hacko]

How the FUCK do you only miss 2 days in 42 years?????? Is there a reason you seem to be so "nice" to your employer(s)?

I find it insane that you don't use your vacation days!!

Oh it is worse then that.

Even tho I am on Salary I go in to work every day. 7 days a week.
I took a vacation day last Friday which is the first day in 3 months that I haven't been in.

Even on the days of our Baseball draft I stop in for an hour.

By the way those 2 days were back to back days ( couldn't get out of the bathroom)

I blame this madness on several things.

My Dad - I never remember him ever missing - Taught to show up every day.
My first 10 years I was a teacher/ Coach - so I blame coaching - I always had the coaching gene to out work everyone - so I worked 7 days a week at that and that carried over to current work.
Lived on a farm for 7 years - those cows don't take a day off even for x-mas. Many drunk - puking 4:30 am milking days!!!1

I never get sick - Until I was 50 I had only seen my Doctor 3 times in 30 years.
Twice I got hurt at work where the Doctor wanted to give me 6 weeks off - I was back at work the next day, Once in an Air splint for ankle the other in a mask - Hot Plastic to the face. _ Again blaming Dad here.

Otherwise I use some of my Vacation - for days I need or have to take off. Esp since I know I usually give some back.

[umjewman]

That seems awfully low. Is that standard in the legal profession? (I assume that you are in the legal profession)

I'm just estimating, it could be more but the days are mostly scattered so it's hard to truly keep track. I usually will take at least one full week for a family vacation. And then other than that, it's just scattered days here and there, maybe a three or four day weekend at some point. I think it all depends on the firm in terms of whether it's standard for the legal profession. Like I said, since we have billable hours, if I take 2 months off, I'm going to have a serious dip in my hours and that will significantly impact raises, bonuses and such.

[dslaw]

I get 25 1/2 days PTO for the year, this doesn't include holidays. I just figured that out and was surprised, I was thinking it was 4 weeks. No wonder I struggle using it all. I can carry over a years worth of PTO (205 hours) but I had gotten to the point where I gave some back. Last company I worked for was 1 week for the 1st 5 years, then 2 weeks until 10th anniversary when you got 3 weeks. I used 2 weeks to go to Europe and was told I was the first person in history of the company to ever take 2 weeks straight. I did not enjoy working there very much.

The wife & I usually take between 7-10 days a year for a true vacation (no work calls) and then use the rest for long weekends to visit family or go someplace for a mini-vacation and then take time off during Thanksgiving/Christmas just to not give back time.

[TranaGreg]

I get 6 weeks; been here for 18+ years. I usually take close to all of them.

[B-Fly]

To the extent y'all do have lots of paid vacation days you're leaving on the table, try to get into the habit of putting in for Fridays or Mondays, particularly during the summer, even if you don't have any plans. Most employers know that it's good for productivity and morale for employees to use their vacation days and won't even blink, and if you block it out on your Outlook or Google calendar and spread the word, people won't try to book you for meetings on those days. Employers get more frustrated/suspicious with employees who someone manage to use every last sick day, family sick day, bereavement day, etc, every year, but scheduling and taking vacation (with advance notice wherever possible) is good all around.

[hacko]

To the extent y'all do have lots of paid vacation days you're leaving on the table, try to get into the habit of putting in for Fridays or Mondays, particularly during the summer, even if you don't have any plans. Most employers know that it's good for productivity and morale for employees to use their vacation days and won't even blink, and if you block it out on your Outlook or Google calendar and spread the word, people won't try to book you for meetings on those days. Employers get more frustrated/suspicious with employees who someone manage to use every last sick day, family sick day, bereavement day, etc, every year, but scheduling and taking vacation (with advance notice wherever possible) is good all around.

Except Friday and Monday are my Busiest Days. Esp Monday. Even if I take a Friday off - I go in Saturday and Sunday.
I usually try and Sneak a Wednesday in - breaks up the Week.

The reason I usually leave vacations on the table is when I do take a week off for a Family vacation I come back to a pile of work that takes me a week to catch up. So I just don't take the week off and stay home Vacations.
In the last 4 years I have been to Mexico, Boston (twice) Ocean isle and Spring training in Arizona so it is not like I am not going anywhere.

I will add in the last 5 years it has gotten worse but that is due to Divorce - Kids growing up - moving out... so 4 weeks is just to much to take off without a place to go.

[Mithrandir]

Oh it is worse then that.

Even tho I am on Salary I go in to work every day. 7 days a week.
I took a vacation day last Friday which is the first day in 3 months that I haven't been in.

Even on the days of our Baseball draft I stop in for an hour.

By the way those 2 days were back to back days ( couldn't get out of the bathroom)

I blame this madness on several things.

My Dad - I never remember him ever missing - Taught to show up every day.
My first 10 years I was a teacher/ Coach - so I blame coaching - I always had the coaching gene to out work everyone - so I worked 7 days a week at that and that carried over to current work.
Lived on a farm for 7 years - those cows don't take a day off even for x-mas. Many drunk - puking 4:30 am milking days!!!1

I never get sick - Until I was 50 I had only seen my Doctor 3 times in 30 years.
Twice I got hurt at work where the Doctor wanted to give me 6 weeks off - I was back at work the next day, Once in an Air splint for ankle the other in a mask - Hot Plastic to the face. _ Again blaming Dad here.

Otherwise I use some of my Vacation - for days I need or have to take off. Esp since I know I usually give some back.

Thanks Hacko.

I'm not sure if I should applaud you or laugh at you!

Your work ethic is phenomenal...maybe too phenomenal??? Do you not enjoy being off from work and just relaxing or doing stuff??