time off

[erkishhorde]

[rant]
I understand that it's the boss's perogative to decide when you're allowed to use your PTO but what make the beast with two backsing good is pto if you don't get to use it? There's deadlines, OK. I'll get the work the done. I'll put in the extra time now to get it done before I take off.

What? It costs you more if I get it done for you now and take later off instead of if I just do it later? Yeah, I guess I could bill it or I could just shift my hours and not use the PTO. Then you don't lose any money. Problems still? 

What? I've got more work? How's that? You didn't tell me about it before. Oh, it's something you don't have time to do but you're taking pto? You can do this shit 3 times faster than me. It'll take you half a day at most whereas it'll take me at least a day and half. 

I hate being the guy on the bottom. 
[/rant]

So my work only gives Thursday off and my boss is telling me I can't take Friday as PTO since I've got work to do. Work that he doesn't have time to do but he's taking PTO. And of course he didn't give me this work until last Friday. 

Then he asked me how much time I was going to take off for Xmas. I said maybe a week and he flipped. I asked him how long he takes; he said a week. I asked the other young guy that's been there 2 years, he says he usually takes a week.  Yeah, I've got deadlines right after new years. Do you think I'm going to leave my work unfinished and still take off? It'll get done.

What are your experiences w/ taking PTO?

[derby]

What are your experiences w/ taking PTO?

i'm a vacation hoarder... i generally spend the first half of the year not dipping into my PTO because i might need it later in the year, and the last half of the year trying to take it but can't due to work/travel/projects...

right now, i have 30 days on the books that i'll probably end up carrying over through next year.

that said, my boss doesn't give me any shit when i ask to take a day or 7... or 14...

[The Architect]

I understand your frustrations.  Maybe you should look at it a little differently, considering the economic environment.  Having a job is a good thing.

If having a boss is a pain then start up your own company and take as much time off as you want.     

[Bun-bun]

If having a boss is a pain then start up your own company and take as much time off as you want.     

Yeah, right!
Lemme know how that works out for ya!
I started my own company 9 years ago. I work harder, come in earlier, stay later, and worry more than I ever did working for someone else.
I work holidays, weekends, evenings, etc.
TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch)!

[optiato]

I try to tell them I'm taking time off instead of asking.  Yeah, it shouldn't work, but it generally does as long as it's only a day or two and I give about a week's notice.

[Timmy Tucker]

I'm self employed.  That means I take off whenever I want

Yeah, right. I know nothing of this "vacation" ya'll speak of.


Seriously though, I don't get a lot of days off, period. I try my best to at least be off on Sundays, but that pretty rare for me, especially this time of year. Sometimes I'll go several months w/o a single day off. My record so far is 4 months straight w/ no day off.

I generally have to plan ahead several months if I want a specific day off. I've been very lucky to manage 2 "vacations" since I've been in business (5 years), but one of them was taken to help a friend remodel his parents house. The other was spent moving the last bits of my belongings from VA to TN.


I have managed to sneak in the occasional "mental health day" this year. Took one just a few weeks ago as a matter of fact. I get a very bad attitude if I don't have at least 1-2 days off a month.


EDIT- 205'd by Bun-bun while typing

[Timmy Tucker]

IIf having a boss is a pain then start up your own company and take as much time off as you want.     

wait....

That was a joke, right? 

[Timmy Tucker]

I work harder, come in earlier, stay later, and worry more than I ever did working for someone else.

And that is the reason I can't wait to finish school. I long for the day when I can work for someone else again and still make the same $$ (or more) as I do now. Never realized how good I had it at my last job until I became my own boss.

[The Architect]

Yeah, right!
Lemme know how that works out for ya!
I started my own company 9 years ago. I work harder, come in earlier, stay later, and worry more than I ever did working for someone else.
I work holidays, weekends, evenings, etc.
TANSTAAFL (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch)!

Unfortunately that was my point.

I'm on vacation right now, as I sit at my desk going through paper work.   


I've been lucky as far as vacations.  We really haven't gone anywhere in a few years.  But with the kids, my wife and I have been very active at taking time off here and there. 

[TiAvenger]

As the boss, I never get to take much time off.  I'm sitting on 400 hours of vacation and pto, and another 100 of sick. 

It sucks.

[Triple J]

For this holiday season we get Thursday & Friday off for Thanksgiving, Wednesday thru Friday off for Christmas, and Thursday & Friday off for new Years.   Not getting the Friday after Thanksgiving off is about as lame as it gets for an office environment type of job.

As far as using vacation...I haven't ever been told I can't use it when I want, and I don't know of anyone in the company who has either. I'm sure it happens because of workload...but very rarely. The rule is you can take vacation anytime you want, so long as your tasks are covered, or completed. It pisses me off when companies don't let you take vacation that you've earned.

We're all salary, but we earn comp time at a 1:1 rate if we work overtime. You can choose to get paid for it, or just stockpile it for more days off (what 99% of people do). As a result, it doesn't cost the company any more if we work long hours...so you can work 4 ten hour days and take friday off if needed. Not every week...but every so often is OK.

Once again E...your boss sounds like an ass hat.

[Ivan]

What are your experiences w/ taking PTO?

I've been at the same company for 25 years.  I've been bouncing off the PTO limit for the last 3 years.  A couple of months ago I realized that I had lost a few hours into the bit bucket, so I told them that I'm no longer working Fridays.  I love me some 4-day work weeks.

[Schmitty]

My boss doesn't care when I take off.  We are both off of work right now...but I'm still checking my e-mails from home 

Earlier this year I was "sent" to Hawaii to train some other people from our company.  The training was on the weekends...I used a little vacation M-F  to make it a 2 week trip...and didn't pay a dime. 

[erkishhorde]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, we work half day Fridays....  Well, supposedly. Bossman gets grumpy when we scoot after 4 hours on Friday even though everyone else (archs and whatnot) does. Company policy is to work (4) 9 hour days and 4 hours on Friday. His little structural company merged into the big design firm and he gripes when we do things the big company's way.  Why'd he merge if he didn't like the way they do business.?

[Le Pirate]

dude...

find a state job. We get all kinds of holiday time, and I take off whenever I want. I just usually leave a note telling my boss when I'll be back 



of course...this works best if you keep your work up to date and don't leave right before a major deadline