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Expert Says “For Years, I Took My Paid Time Off All Wrong” And Explains How To Do It Correctly
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Expert Says “For Years, I Took My Paid Time Off All Wrong” And Explains How To Do It Correctly

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Taking a well-deserved break from work sounds great, right? When you have the opportunity to recharge, travel, and be with your loved ones, it allows for you to come back even more creative and productive. Unfortunately, Americans are notorious for being workaholics and seem to get used to longer hours and less time off.

Feeling guilty about leaving their projects or fearing they would lose their boss’ respect all factor into preventing employees from going on holiday. But when working too much leads to burnout and high levels of stress, taking some time off is a must. And Selena Rezvani, a leadership expert, speaker, and author, is here to remind us of that.

She recently caught the attention of more than 1.8 million people on TikTok after making a video full of tips about paid time off (PTO). Selena often uses her platform to discuss corporate culture and share advice about self-advocating in the workplace. Read on to find out some of her illuminating insights, and tell us what you think about them in the comments below!

Recently, leadership expert Selena Rezvani made a viral TikTok sharing her best tips for using paid time off at work

Image credits: selenarezvani

Selena Rezvani specializes in helping employees stand up for themselves at work and even wrote a best-selling book about it called Pushback: How Smart Women Ask — and Stand Up — for What They Want. She told Bored Panda that the hustle culture is real. “Research shows North Americans are the most stressed-out workers in the world. If you think about it, it’s hard to be results-obsessed and NOT get burned out.”

“I tell people that dedication and hard work are things to be proud of, but when we take time off regularly, we have better health, stamina, and engagement at work. Not just that, we actually perform better and work harder.” She suggested taking PTO to refuel instead of thinking of it as something to use when there’s a huge surplus.

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The leadership expert revealed that some people ask her about “unpaid time off” too. She believes that for companies it would be a bad idea. “It can encourage presenteeism — where employees feel pressure to come in sick if the company doesn’t have a PTO policy in place,” Selena explained. “If you’re leading a company that lacks PTO — you’ll suffer in finding talent: PTO is the second most important ‘perk’ to employees after health insurance.”

Image credits: selenarezvani

You can watch the full video, which got over 1.8 million views, right over here

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@selenarezvani My best tips for using your PTO at work.⏰ #paidtimeoff#pto#corporatetips#corporateadvice#careeradvice#careertok#corporatelife#corporateamerica ♬ BORN FOR THIS – Foxxi

However, Selena would like to advise you to be skeptical about “unlimited PTO” plans since they’re way too ambiguous. “There are often unspoken expectations about how to use it from management – for example, what constitutes the ‘right amount’ to take. That means it’s easy for employees to violate those expectations because nothing is explicitly stated!”

There’s usually no payout if you leave this job because there’s no actual value to this “generous benefit” you’ve been given. Also, “unlimited plans suffer from underuse. One study showed people with unlimited plans take fewer days in a year than people with traditional plans. Not just that, but Americans with unlimited PTO are twice as likely as folks with traditional plans to say they ‘always’ work on vacation.”

“Let’s be honest. Unlimited PTO is a marketing tool. If you want to offer people a transparent, useable plan, my advice is to give people a generous and clearly stated number of PTO days,” she added.

After receiving supportive replies from her followers, she created another clip talking about good habits to set with your manager

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Image credits: selenarezvani

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Here’s the full video

@selenarezvani Tips to help you communicate & set boundaries when taking time off. #pto#paidtimeoff#takingtimeoff#corporatelife#corporatetips#corporateadvice ♬ Lazy Sunday – Official Sound Studio

There’s still a stigma against taking time off, and some managers and bosses even believe they have the right to disrespect their workers for going on holiday. According to Selena, “PTO guilt” is real.

“Employers need to stop vacation-shaming and incentivizing people to have ‘perfect attendance’. It’s crazy to me that there are workplaces that give out perfect attendance awards and financial incentives to those who don’t use their PTO at the end of a period,” she noted, saying it’s not conducive to normal human rhythms to work like a robot.

After all, “people can and should be able to judge for themselves when they need time off (and of course to make an effort to help operations run smoothly while they’re gone).”

Selena also recommends companies simplify PTO request processes, lowering the barrier to entry for people. “As a grown adult who knows their body, don’t require a person to provide a justification or reason to be out! It’s time to normalize using PTO regularly because more than half of Americans don’t take all their PTO in a year – compared to France where 90% of people take all their PTO.”

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Plus, leaders should normalize encouraging people to fully step away when taking time off. “That’s important because when Americans do take vacations, 41% are checking into work while away, and a whopping 84% of executives have canceled vacations in order to work.”

Selena also shared some great examples of how healthy boundaries at work should sound

Image credits: selenarezvani

Image credits: selenarezvani

Image credits: selenarezvani

Image credits: selenarezvani

Image credits: selenarezvani

Sometimes, people want to keep a cushion of time for the unexpected, and Selena, a mom to 9-year-old twins, can especially empathize with wanting to save time for sick kids and other stressful things. “And let’s be real — there are some people who simply don’t have the privilege to just ask for time off.”

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“But one common perception in the US is that time off needs to be earned and sacrificed for,” she added. Well, the leadership expert likes to use the analogy of a “painkiller versus a vitamin” here.

“Rather than seeing [PTO] like a preventative, beneficial ‘vitamin’ we regularly take to keep us vital and healthy, we tend to see it a little more like a ‘painkiller’ for stress. That thing we need to offset everyday pressures and tensions.”

If you’re wondering about the best ways to use your paid time off, the expert suggested extending your break when the company is closed, taking your birthday off each year, or taking a day here or there for joy, self-investment, socializing or alone time.

“If you personally have little PTO to work with, say one week, you can use the piggyback technique of tacking on one additional day off to an already short week say, a federal holiday. That gives you a longer period off and a shorter workweek to look forward to,” she said.

Selena told us that previously she got a little too practiced at tying her productivity to her worth as a human being. “I thought, ‘Did I go hard this week and push myself to the point of insanity?! Good for me, I deserve a nice reward this weekend!’ And that was the little ping pong match that went on inside my head every week.”

She also lived with FOMO — the fear of missing out. “But no more. I want to live life to its fullest. I want to stop and see the roses, smell them, pick them, throw some petals up in the air and enjoy it along the way. I think I’ve finally embraced JOMO. The joy of missing out,” Selena concluded.

Many TikTokers appreciated the woman’s insights and had loads of great suggestions

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denisebella74 avatar
Denise Bella
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

US Problems. Sorry for you Guys! Love from Germany wäre you have to Take your Time Out.

blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Swiss rules: Vacation days do not expire and can only be compensated under certain circumstances. In the worst case your employers should tell you to stay at home to reduce vacation days. Overtime is a different story though.

Load More Replies...
bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Quite happy that I live in the Netherlands where people don't have to bend, stretch and roll over to get what's your legal right. Funeral of a first degree relative? That's 3 days off. Marriage of a a first degree relative? That's one day off. Want to go on a 4 week vacation? Sure, no one is going to stop you. Want to schedule one unpaid Papa or Mama-day per week? Go ahead.

tinnekevanhaute avatar
Martine
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree! Moreover, in Belgium we legally are paid extra for yearly vacation. I am retired now and still get paid extra for 'vacation'.

Load More Replies...
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm in the UK and I believe we have to legally take it. Use it or lose it. I've never been asked why unless it is something like the next day which is usually a medical thing with my son. Thankfully I have a great manager who has 2 rules for me (which work both ways) 1) Our PTO's can't clash and 2) We can call each other but it has to be a major work incident. I can't complain.

fparky77 avatar
Fiona Parky
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uk here too and we get nagged if we haven’t booked all our holiday in time. If you don’t use it they have to pay you for it so they’re quite keen for you to take your time off. As for justification, why? It’s none of their business! I currently get 32 days a year in top of bank holidays and there’s parental leave, emergency leave, dependents leave, sick leave etc. We work to live, not the other way round.

Load More Replies...
matthewcleere avatar
Matthew Cleere
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of my 52 year life, I had no PTO or vacation or any kind of paid time off. Last 10 years, I have used 90% of it on just handling health and personal issues. To this day, my only "vacations" have been spending time while laid off or unemployed and broke and worried about the future. £@€#! American bosses. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING has ripped America apart like corporate human resources "policies". Unfortunately, most idiot Americans blame each other and Red vs Blue instead of seeing that it is humans vs corporations. I think it's already too late.

carolynbrain avatar
BusyLizzy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeez, the more I learn about US work culture the more depressing I find it. I'm in the UK and I can't imagine not having my 4 weeks paid time off plus the extra 8 public holidays. And that's the legal minimum. I don't know anyone that's expected to be contactable while on leave. Plus I took 9 months paid maternity leave and I'm also entitled to 10 days parental leave (albeit unpaid) for parenting emergencies. Honestly, I work to live, I don't live to work.

pauldavis avatar
Paul Davis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are some jobs and companies where whenever you take PTO you're risking your job. I think if you're in a company like that you need to look for other work anyway -- inevitably you'll end up unemployed by them some other way.

origamichiken avatar
Origami Chik3n
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this American thing? I used to save some of my PTO days every year until one day my manager called me and said "WTF dude? Do you want to get me trouble with HR? Make sure you don't have any unused days by the end of this year!". I was literally forced to take over 9 weeks of vacation that year. For the several past years, if we are good boys and girls and use all our vacation days, we are allowed to take 5 more days (above what is required by law) at company's expense.

deanajo-dr avatar
Deana Bennett
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The general manager was so upset, his face was red! He asked if this was common for all associates or if I was singled out. I told him, "all associates". He didn't go pointing fingers, but he went to talk to each associate, individually. Took him a week to complete that inquiry. Nobody knew who blew the whistle, he kept my confidence! He had mgrs meeting. That shenanigans stopped. There's so much more left to say, but I think you got the gist. We also get another form of PTO, it's Protected Paid Time Off. That is never rejected even if another has those dates. You get sick? Call off, get confirm # go in next day, put in the date. Auto approved. I've got hundreds of hrs PPTO.

deanajo-dr avatar
Deana Bennett
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work for a big box store. We earn PTO based on hours worked which also depends on time of employ, for ex: I've worked there for 14 years, so I earn an hour for ever 8 hrs worked. For a long time it was hard to get vacay approval. Even if you requested months in advance. I began lying about something I had to do so I would be apprvd. A couple years ago we got a new general mgr. I had two vacations during those couple years. After the 2nd, he and I were just chatting on break. He expressed regret for me having to use my vacays for other things rather than fun and relaxation. When he says that I just looked at him and said I had a confession to make. I told him I lied to get each vacay, so they wouldn't reject it. Even if it was out in 4-5 mos in advance it would be rejected, "no coverage". He. Was. Livid! Not at me, at the mgrs who forced me to feel I had to lie to get EARNED time off! That hasn't happened since. I'll finish in another comment.

samwisetalbot avatar
Sharon Talbot
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm going to have my husband read this! He was worried sick about taking a week's "vacation" to attend to his elderly mom after a serious fall, which involved a 13-hr drive to her town each day. His employer makes workers feel as if they are being granted a divine favor when allowed sick or vacation time, or even FMLA time.

yvette_m_desmarais avatar
Yvette Desmarais
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Take the benefits you are contracted to have. Don't explain any more than necessary.

skidog911 avatar
Kusotare
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first time my office called me on a day off, I handled the call, then charged it as a work day. That was the last time they called me on a day off. (Retired now, so every day is a day off!)

elaine-nolan5001 avatar
She-Ra
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only Americans could need this type of how to video. 3rd world country for its citizens.

kevinhudgins avatar
Kevin Hudgins
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My company is fantastic with comp time. Spent 4 months in overseas for work. Came home and didn't come into the office for a month. Still getting paid. Still collecting PTO.

amy-broderick avatar
Amy Broderick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a 'use it or lose it' policy at my company. A couple of us are scrambling in the next couple of weeks to use up our 2021 totals before the end of the quarter. I ended up using the majority of my time during a couple of bad storms due to power outages and literally being stuck at home because of trees and downed power lines.

windbiter avatar
Catherine Spencer-Mills
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My company had vacation + sick leave. Then they combined it to PTO for half the days per year. I catch everything. Someone walks down the hall and sneezes 50 feet away and I have it a week later. That meant all of my PTO went for my sick times. Vacation? Sure in bed with galloping crud for 3 days is a wonderful stress reliever. Much better now I'm retired and avoiding all those germy co workers who are coming into work sick and spreading the joy.

enricoscofone avatar
Campfire_Kansas
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

how to say "don't bother the s*** out of me while I am on vacation" with likes and views.

technusgirl avatar
Rachel Gerstner
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't believe we have to have articles to tell people to use their vacation days. Most companies don't let you save those days nor do they reimburse you when you don't use them. Use your vacation, if you don't, you'll suffer from burnout. A good company and management is going to understand that. You shouldn't have to even explain why you are using your vacation or paid time off, just request the days off, no explanations given.

katejones_1 avatar
Kate Jones
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm so torn about this. I've been on both sides of it-as a worker and manager- and I think people have this idea that all offices are the same with lots of people working and...that's just not the case. Of course managers want you to take the PTO you've earned. No middle manager is sitting there rubbing his hands together like Dr. Evil hoping to screw you out of your PTO. I worked for a major retail gas chain, so they offered PTO, but each location has different staffing. I had 5 employees. When you have 5 employees, it's a little trickier trying to get coverage. So you do have to be considerate of things like holidays and vacation time someone else is already taking. PTO needs to be approved and sometimes it's denied because we have to think about the business first- that's our job. If it would leave us shorthanded then we can't allow it. So it becomes an issue if people have PTo and we lose an employee. Now everyone has to change their schedules around to accommodate. (1)

vishwajeetsatpute avatar
Vishy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a Manager too for a Ship Management company. If some takes a PTO and it leaves you shorthanded it's a Management problem. It just shows that you have not cross trained your staff to fill up the vacant seat. You might also hire a person on a temporary basis to fill the vacancy. We do it all the time. Your staff's PTO is as important as your business. That's called staff retention.

Load More Replies...
pavo6503 avatar
Agamemenon Triforce
Community Member
2 years ago (edited)

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Nothing made me more suspicious or resentful of managers who told me I MUST take PTO. I do not trust jobs that promised it because I always saw it as a reason for them to punish me when I got back. If an employee doesn't need or want to use it, just leave them alone about it.

denisebella74 avatar
Denise Bella
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

US Problems. Sorry for you Guys! Love from Germany wäre you have to Take your Time Out.

blaasdf2 avatar
Hugo Raible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Swiss rules: Vacation days do not expire and can only be compensated under certain circumstances. In the worst case your employers should tell you to stay at home to reduce vacation days. Overtime is a different story though.

Load More Replies...
bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Quite happy that I live in the Netherlands where people don't have to bend, stretch and roll over to get what's your legal right. Funeral of a first degree relative? That's 3 days off. Marriage of a a first degree relative? That's one day off. Want to go on a 4 week vacation? Sure, no one is going to stop you. Want to schedule one unpaid Papa or Mama-day per week? Go ahead.

tinnekevanhaute avatar
Martine
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree! Moreover, in Belgium we legally are paid extra for yearly vacation. I am retired now and still get paid extra for 'vacation'.

Load More Replies...
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm in the UK and I believe we have to legally take it. Use it or lose it. I've never been asked why unless it is something like the next day which is usually a medical thing with my son. Thankfully I have a great manager who has 2 rules for me (which work both ways) 1) Our PTO's can't clash and 2) We can call each other but it has to be a major work incident. I can't complain.

fparky77 avatar
Fiona Parky
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uk here too and we get nagged if we haven’t booked all our holiday in time. If you don’t use it they have to pay you for it so they’re quite keen for you to take your time off. As for justification, why? It’s none of their business! I currently get 32 days a year in top of bank holidays and there’s parental leave, emergency leave, dependents leave, sick leave etc. We work to live, not the other way round.

Load More Replies...
matthewcleere avatar
Matthew Cleere
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of my 52 year life, I had no PTO or vacation or any kind of paid time off. Last 10 years, I have used 90% of it on just handling health and personal issues. To this day, my only "vacations" have been spending time while laid off or unemployed and broke and worried about the future. £@€#! American bosses. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING has ripped America apart like corporate human resources "policies". Unfortunately, most idiot Americans blame each other and Red vs Blue instead of seeing that it is humans vs corporations. I think it's already too late.

carolynbrain avatar
BusyLizzy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jeez, the more I learn about US work culture the more depressing I find it. I'm in the UK and I can't imagine not having my 4 weeks paid time off plus the extra 8 public holidays. And that's the legal minimum. I don't know anyone that's expected to be contactable while on leave. Plus I took 9 months paid maternity leave and I'm also entitled to 10 days parental leave (albeit unpaid) for parenting emergencies. Honestly, I work to live, I don't live to work.

pauldavis avatar
Paul Davis
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are some jobs and companies where whenever you take PTO you're risking your job. I think if you're in a company like that you need to look for other work anyway -- inevitably you'll end up unemployed by them some other way.

origamichiken avatar
Origami Chik3n
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this American thing? I used to save some of my PTO days every year until one day my manager called me and said "WTF dude? Do you want to get me trouble with HR? Make sure you don't have any unused days by the end of this year!". I was literally forced to take over 9 weeks of vacation that year. For the several past years, if we are good boys and girls and use all our vacation days, we are allowed to take 5 more days (above what is required by law) at company's expense.

deanajo-dr avatar
Deana Bennett
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The general manager was so upset, his face was red! He asked if this was common for all associates or if I was singled out. I told him, "all associates". He didn't go pointing fingers, but he went to talk to each associate, individually. Took him a week to complete that inquiry. Nobody knew who blew the whistle, he kept my confidence! He had mgrs meeting. That shenanigans stopped. There's so much more left to say, but I think you got the gist. We also get another form of PTO, it's Protected Paid Time Off. That is never rejected even if another has those dates. You get sick? Call off, get confirm # go in next day, put in the date. Auto approved. I've got hundreds of hrs PPTO.

deanajo-dr avatar
Deana Bennett
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work for a big box store. We earn PTO based on hours worked which also depends on time of employ, for ex: I've worked there for 14 years, so I earn an hour for ever 8 hrs worked. For a long time it was hard to get vacay approval. Even if you requested months in advance. I began lying about something I had to do so I would be apprvd. A couple years ago we got a new general mgr. I had two vacations during those couple years. After the 2nd, he and I were just chatting on break. He expressed regret for me having to use my vacays for other things rather than fun and relaxation. When he says that I just looked at him and said I had a confession to make. I told him I lied to get each vacay, so they wouldn't reject it. Even if it was out in 4-5 mos in advance it would be rejected, "no coverage". He. Was. Livid! Not at me, at the mgrs who forced me to feel I had to lie to get EARNED time off! That hasn't happened since. I'll finish in another comment.

samwisetalbot avatar
Sharon Talbot
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm going to have my husband read this! He was worried sick about taking a week's "vacation" to attend to his elderly mom after a serious fall, which involved a 13-hr drive to her town each day. His employer makes workers feel as if they are being granted a divine favor when allowed sick or vacation time, or even FMLA time.

yvette_m_desmarais avatar
Yvette Desmarais
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Take the benefits you are contracted to have. Don't explain any more than necessary.

skidog911 avatar
Kusotare
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first time my office called me on a day off, I handled the call, then charged it as a work day. That was the last time they called me on a day off. (Retired now, so every day is a day off!)

elaine-nolan5001 avatar
She-Ra
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only Americans could need this type of how to video. 3rd world country for its citizens.

kevinhudgins avatar
Kevin Hudgins
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My company is fantastic with comp time. Spent 4 months in overseas for work. Came home and didn't come into the office for a month. Still getting paid. Still collecting PTO.

amy-broderick avatar
Amy Broderick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a 'use it or lose it' policy at my company. A couple of us are scrambling in the next couple of weeks to use up our 2021 totals before the end of the quarter. I ended up using the majority of my time during a couple of bad storms due to power outages and literally being stuck at home because of trees and downed power lines.

windbiter avatar
Catherine Spencer-Mills
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My company had vacation + sick leave. Then they combined it to PTO for half the days per year. I catch everything. Someone walks down the hall and sneezes 50 feet away and I have it a week later. That meant all of my PTO went for my sick times. Vacation? Sure in bed with galloping crud for 3 days is a wonderful stress reliever. Much better now I'm retired and avoiding all those germy co workers who are coming into work sick and spreading the joy.

enricoscofone avatar
Campfire_Kansas
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

how to say "don't bother the s*** out of me while I am on vacation" with likes and views.

technusgirl avatar
Rachel Gerstner
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't believe we have to have articles to tell people to use their vacation days. Most companies don't let you save those days nor do they reimburse you when you don't use them. Use your vacation, if you don't, you'll suffer from burnout. A good company and management is going to understand that. You shouldn't have to even explain why you are using your vacation or paid time off, just request the days off, no explanations given.

katejones_1 avatar
Kate Jones
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm so torn about this. I've been on both sides of it-as a worker and manager- and I think people have this idea that all offices are the same with lots of people working and...that's just not the case. Of course managers want you to take the PTO you've earned. No middle manager is sitting there rubbing his hands together like Dr. Evil hoping to screw you out of your PTO. I worked for a major retail gas chain, so they offered PTO, but each location has different staffing. I had 5 employees. When you have 5 employees, it's a little trickier trying to get coverage. So you do have to be considerate of things like holidays and vacation time someone else is already taking. PTO needs to be approved and sometimes it's denied because we have to think about the business first- that's our job. If it would leave us shorthanded then we can't allow it. So it becomes an issue if people have PTo and we lose an employee. Now everyone has to change their schedules around to accommodate. (1)

vishwajeetsatpute avatar
Vishy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a Manager too for a Ship Management company. If some takes a PTO and it leaves you shorthanded it's a Management problem. It just shows that you have not cross trained your staff to fill up the vacant seat. You might also hire a person on a temporary basis to fill the vacancy. We do it all the time. Your staff's PTO is as important as your business. That's called staff retention.

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Agamemenon Triforce
Community Member
2 years ago (edited)

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Nothing made me more suspicious or resentful of managers who told me I MUST take PTO. I do not trust jobs that promised it because I always saw it as a reason for them to punish me when I got back. If an employee doesn't need or want to use it, just leave them alone about it.

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