corporate vacation policy change

[bikeman564™]

I just got an extra week of vacation I was capped at 4 weeks for my years. But now anyone with 20 years gets 5 weeks, I'll be at 26 years this November.

[shootingstar]

Guess they want to keep their employees and not have too many defectors. Can't afford to lose ASME boiler vessel code expert. You are a long time employee... unlike some of us.

[Razors Edge ★]

AWESOME!!!  You've earned it!

At a job I had years ago, we got bought by a bigger company that had "6 week paid sabbaticals" every five years.  It was great as I was there for just over five years at the time, but then, as part of their other acquisition moves, they decided shortly thereafter to end the sabbaticals   I was grandfathered in, but had to use it or lose it ASAP.  Pretty good while being a bit of a bummer.

[bikeman564™]

Just now, shootingstar said:

Guess they want to keep their employees and not have too many defectors. Can't afford it.

I don't know a bout that, but owl take it.

[bikeman564™]

5 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

AWESOME!!!  You've earned it!

At a job I had years ago, we got bought by a bigger company that had "6 week paid sabbaticals" every five years.  It was great as I was there for just over five years at the time, but then, as part of their other acquisition moves, they decided shortly thereafter to end the sabbaticals   I was grandfathered in, but had to use it or lose it ASAP.  Pretty good while being a bit of a bummer.

Thanks. We merged w/ another company, and they're leveling things out across all locations with policies & such (makes sense). It takes affect July 1 of this years, so I assume I just gain a week With the single holidays added in, that's 7 weeks off...pretty kick ass.

[bikeman564™]

22 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Can't afford to lose ASME boiler vessel code expert.

There is truth to this, not sure if the new company realizes it. I've always said, anyone can learn it, but it takes a lot of time to fully comprehend and understand it.

[petitepedal ★]

I am at the top with 5 weeks....

[Razors Edge ★]

3 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

I am at the top with 5 weeks....

GET USING IT!!!!

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Five weeks is good. I had that from year 15 to year 31 at Navy Fed. Now I get 20 days PTO plus holidays. 

[Razors Edge ★]

We are luckily finally returning to a good dog sitter situation for our pup.  My niece has been a good fit for a while, but she changed jobs and may not be available as much to housesit & babysit, but she was fine watching her at her home last time.  For our long weekend from Sat-Tues, my wife's older friend will watch her in her home (her elderly mother loves Minnie and talks to her for hours in Spanish ) and we might be able to use her for our Sept and then Oct plans.  If not, back to trying my niece (or a different niece).  We have lots of nieces  so hopefully some of them are reliable dogsitters!

I struggle more with the finding a dog sitter than finding stuff to do now.  

[bikeman564™]

13 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

GET USING IT!!!!

no kidding, I have 16 days left, not counting the week I took off for the 4th.

[ChrisL]

Do you guys have use it or lose it policies on vacation?  In CA, vacation is considered earned income and can’t be taken away.

My company changed their vacation policy from 3 weeks to unlimited PTO for execs.  They then paid us out on any unused vacation during implementation of the change so that was a nice surprise.  Honestly though I rarely take more than 2 weeks a year and am always on call anyway. 

[bikeman564™]

6 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Do you guys have use it or lose it policies on vacation?  In CA, vacation is considered earned income and can’t be taken away.

My company changed their vacation policy from 3 weeks to unlimited PTO for execs.  They then paid us out on any unused vacation during implementation of the change so that was a nice surprise.  Honestly though I rarely take more than 2 weeks a year and am always on call anyway. 

We lose it if we don't use it. Originally when I started, whatever vacation I didn't use would be paid out at the end of the year. But in 2009, after the economy comeback, the company said use it or lose it. So I use it. IMO 5 weeks is tough. I always extend holiday weekends, so now I'll extend them more. But being 47 I enjoy days off now more than I did in my 20s. So whatever I can do to use them, I will.

My step-dad retired form Detroit Edison, and then (not now) they allowed employees to bank hours. So when they retired they'd get paid for the hours at their current pay rate, or retire early. He said some guys won the lottery because they cashed in a half years pay.

[ChrisL]

2 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

We lose it if we don't use it. Originally when I started, whatever vacation I didn't use would be paid out at the end of the year. But in 2009, after the economy comeback, the company said use it or lose it. So I use it. IMO 5 weeks is tough. I always extend holiday weekends, so now I'll extend them more. But being 47 I enjoy days off now more than I did in my 20s. So whatever I can do to use them, I will.

My step-dad retired form Detroit Edison, and then (not now) they allowed employees to bank hours. So when they retired they'd get paid for the hours at their current pay rate, or retire early. He said some guys won the lottery because they cashed in a half years pay.

Maybe some of the other Vets like @JerrySTL @Tizeye @Zealot @Parr8hed can confirm but that I recall the Military gave us a lot of vacation/Leave (a month a year maybe?)

Anyway I didn’t take that much leave only coming home twice in 3 years for a week each time so cashed out a big chunk of leave time when I separated from the Army.  That was nice!

[Zealot]

8 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Maybe some of the other Vets like @JerrySTL @Tizeye @Zealot @Parr8hed can confirm but that I recall the Military gave us a lot of vacation/Leave (a month a year maybe?)

Anyway I didn’t take that much leave only coming home twice in 3 years for a week each time so cashed out a big chunk of leave time when I separated from the Army.  That was nice!

Yep, 30 days a year. 

[Razors Edge ★]

Literally, EVERY annual review, where they ask "what would you like to see changed/improved" and I write "MORE VACATION". I think our company is weak on their vacation/time off packages.  They prefer to spend on the family healthcare piece - which also screws me as I don't have a brood of kids.  But, pay is good, and the folks are pretty nice, etc.. so I don't yell about it.

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, bikeman564™ said:

no kidding, I have 16 days left, not counting the week I took off for the 4th.

That was part of my problem in past 2 years 'cause of covid. Nowhere to go without a ton of restrictions and things closed in destination cities, so that curtailed trips alot for many employees.  I did fly out but it was essential time..with dearie and then later, fallout after he died.

I believe in our organization 25+ years of full-time work gives one automatically 6 wks. vacation annually.  Yes, we can bank unused --with annual limits. And yes, one can get paid if one doesn't use banked..which is what some people may choose to do close to retirement. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

58 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Do you guys have use it or lose it policies on vacation?

Yea

[bikeman564™]

19 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

'cause of covid.

 

I got a week of unemployment in July 2020 w/ the $600 gov't bonus. Then I took the following week as vacation The president said, why not lay everyone off one week, they'll make more money  

[shootingstar]

16 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

I got a week of unemployment in July 2020 w/ the $600 gov't bonus. Then I took the following week as vacation The president said, why not lay everyone off one week, they'll make more money  

I never got /attempted that. I'm not aware of anyone in my work team who did. Their salaries is same as mine and we didn't work in restaurants, ie. the much lower paid jobs.  It would have caused a break in my employment and a pile of forms that I would have to fill out and justify myself...with difficulty.  

THere was no covid govn't help bonus for the entire population in CAnada during the last 2 yrs.  There were different support 1-time payment programs from govn't for certain classes of lower paid workers, low-income seniors and for employers of which some were still rolling in profits.  

[goldendesign]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

GET USING IT!!!!

Our company employs the "Unlimited" vacation. Last year I took a bit over 8 weeks. But this year I've maybe taken 2-3 total (since it's unlimited I really don't keep track).

One of the benefits for a company is there is no vacation accrual to pay out and in cases like mine, plenty of years we're so busy (or other) that we don't actually take enough. 
Gonna probably take the month of December just because.

[shootingstar]

Different things in our org.  Management/non-union employees must use up their annual vacation allotment. No carry-over to bank at all. You can get paid out if can't use up vacation.

I have a good friend who hasn't flown anywhere at all last 2 yrs. (though she can afford it) and made only 1 trip to mountains by car.  So she's burning off vacation by taking minimum of 1 wk. per month and spending time locally, depending on the month until end of this yr.

I prefer to use my vacation with meaning /very different/special activity...not fritter it away with ordinary stuff around home or stuff I normally do on weekends.  I get every 3rd Friday off, by working slightly working longer days.  

Today is 1 of those days.  Cool.  Then next Fri., is statutory holiday, Jul 1, Canada DAy.

[JerrySTL ★]

Working as a contractor and changing jobs often had a big downside when it came to vacation time. When starting with a new company, you could only earn 2 weeks a year. So you might leave a job with 3 or 4 weeks vacation only to begin with zero vacation time. I made sure that I could take unpaid vacation if needed.

Lately companies are offering 3 weeks at the start.

My worse experience was leaving a job with over 200 hours of sick time. Three months into the new job, I had my heart attack. I only had a few hours of PTO, so I went back to work after 3 days. I sure could have milked that 200 hours!

[2Far ★]

Ours went the other way a coupla years ago for 3rd week, was 5 now 10. That was a bout a year after they published 3 @ 5. Funny thing is, they've never published the new one (I saw in ADP that it wasn't there) and if you ask, they can't send you a copy. I was in year 4, so I asked a bunch of questions. The company line was that the letter announcing 3 @ 5  was not approved by the president. Now he's gone, his replacement is gone & the new guy is besieged.

[bikeman564™]

41 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

I never got /attempted that. I'm not aware of anyone in my work team who did. Their salaries is same as mine and we didn't work in restaurants, ie. the much lower paid jobs.  It would have caused a break in my employment and a pile of forms that I would have to fill out and justify myself...with difficulty.  

THere was no covid govn't help bonus for the entire population in CAnada during the last 2 yrs.  There were different support 1-time payment programs from govn't for certain classes of lower paid workers, low-income seniors and for employers of which some were still rolling in profits.  

If I'm eligible to get unemployment, then I will. The company has to approve it, so you can't just get it. In the US, the government was paying people to stay home.

[bikeman564™]

38 minutes ago, JerrySTL said:

 

Lately companies are offering 3 weeks at the start.

 

IIRC I had to wait a year to get 1 week. This latest memo has 2 days after 2 months, 4 days after 4 months, and 1 week after 6 months. Then 2 weeks at 1 year. And so on.

[KrAzY]

At 5 years with my company I get 3 weeks a year, and I’m sitting on 298 hours of PTO available. I seldom use it because just like last time… bad things happen when I leave and I have to do damage control for two weeks after getting back

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

9 hours ago, bikeman564™ said:

But now anyone with 20 years gets 5 weeks

I once got 20 years, but they let me out after 5 weeks for good behavior.