Unlimited vacation?

I've read about some big companies like IBM doing this and being a total success. Does anyone here have this benefit?

Give Your Employees Unlimited Vacation Days | Inc.com

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FloOz

wow that is amazing and i could not agree more with that article. The one line that hit it home for me was:

It treats employees like the adults they are. If they’re incapable of handling the responsibility that comes along with having unlimited vacation days, they're probably incapable of handling other responsibilities too, so don't hire them.

SteveLord

I can take comp time. Any extra time I do can go toward time off...and any time off I take can be made up. Catch is that it has to be done within that pay period. So there's a maximum of 2 weeks that I would ever have to do that.

Otherwise, vacation builds slow for state government here until you hit your 5yr mark. Yet they give you a ton of sick hours.

N2IT

One of my first full time position offered unlimited sick time. I thought that was classy personally, they also gave most employees work from home days, 2 to be exact.

Some of these companies are stuck in the 50's industrial era. Strictly silo'd, no work from home, 0 flexibility with schedule. It's lame to be honest. I usually pass on companies like that.

BTW to the original poster thanks for the article it was interesting.

Shanman

Great article!! Thanks for sharing. Now I have something to work towards

NinjaBoy

cyberguypr wrote: »

...Does anyone here have this benefit?

Give Your Employees Unlimited Vacation Days | Inc.com

Yeah, it's called unemployment

But seriously, while we don't have this, we do have a flexible working hour policy.

Everyone

cyberguypr wrote: »

I've read about some big companies like IBM doing this and being a total success. Does anyone here have this benefit?

Give Your Employees Unlimited Vacation Days | Inc.com

Curious as to where you read about "big companies like IBM" doing this. The article only mentions some company called "Red Frog" which is one I've never heard of before.

pizzaboy

Everyone wrote: »

Curious as to where you read about "big companies like IBM" doing this. The article only mentions some company called "Red Frog" which is one I've never heard of before.

have a look at this article.
Is “Unlimited” Vacation Really Unlimited? | Where Great Workplaces Start
not sure this is the one the OP was referring to though

cyberguypr

Everyone wrote: »

Curious as to where you read about "big companies like IBM" doing this. The article only mentions some company called "Red Frog" which is one I've never heard of before.

This is the one I read almost a year ago: Flexible vacation policies are here to stay - Feb. 1, 2011

It seems the buzz word is "results only work environment."

ImTheKing

cyberguypr wrote: »

Does anyone here have this benefit?

Nope. 14 days of vacation, 14 days of sick leave. 40 hour weeks are mandated regardless of how many work days there are in the week (1 federal holiday in a week would result in you working 10 hours a day for the rest of the week).

Pretty strict.

erpadmin

“Doing away with official vacation time can also be a way for employers to escape payouts for unused vacation time when employees leave…”

As I read that Article from my linkedin account (and was considering posting it until I saw that I was beaten to it) I was wondering about vacation days not taken if one were to leave.

Right now, I get 15 days a year, and I can roll that over until the following year once. Then I MUST take it. Comp days I can keep indefinitely (though I had to use nine days because of a medical issue.) I always have days in the hole for two reasons:

1) In the event I must go on emergency leave (like a long-term bereavement).

2) So that I can get cash-mon-ay if I do leave. I'd only get paid for vacation and comp time. Sick time only gets paid to retirees, and even then at at $10k-15k cap. So a bit of math would be involved as to how many days get kept to get the sick time payout.

This unlimited jazz sounds like a way to skirt that payout. Plus too "unlimited" sounds like a joke anyway......I want to see some genius take a whole year's worth of paid vacation under this policy and not get any slack for it. I only take the maximum days I'm required to take, and that's only because it's union-mandated. (My union would freak out if I volunteered to "let days go...")

Devilsbane

I honestly would prefer where I'm at over that. I get 4 weeks, its plenty of times. If I was given unlimited, I'd probably take less. Its nice to be required to take days off, especially when you're coming down to the end of the year. We also have something like 10 paid holidays and taking less than a half day off doesn't count against your vacation numbers unless it becomes excessive. Its a pretty good deal.

MentholMoose

erpadmin wrote: »

As I read that Article from my linkedin account (and was considering posting it until I saw that I was beaten to it) I was wondering about vacation days not taken if one were to leave.

Exactly what I was wondering. I doubt you get compensated for an unlimited number of accrued vacation days.

the_Grinch

Vacation time I think should have a set limit, but I believe companies should give you more. I get two weeks, three would be great! I like the idea of unlimited sick time though. Sometimes you can't control getting sick (especially when companies really jump on you for using sick time thus sick people come in and get everyone sick) so putting a limit on it kinda blows. At my dad's company they had unlimited sick time and only requirement was if you were out 3 days in row you had to have a doctors note.

jmritenour

Meh, I hardly ever take vacation, so I end up being forced to use them or lose them. I don't know what I'd do if I got more than my current 2 weeks a year.

Everyone

Interesting. Having a set amount of vacation time definitely has drawbacks. A lot of companies have "use or lose". I usually have no problem using mine, as I'll often take a day off here and there to take kids to doctor's appointments. I have seen other people run into having maxed out vacation time, and having to use it before a certain date.

Some places have let you sell back vacation days, but you take a big tax hit doing that. At one place I was the only one in the office towards the end of the year because everybody else was taking all there vacation time before they lost it. One place I worked at let you give your vacation time to other people. One of my co-workers did that every year, since he never took a day off, ever, he just donated his vacation time.

lordy

Over here in Germany we usually have 25-30 days of paid vacation each year. Sick time is practically unlimited as long as you hand in a doctors note after 3 days.

Unused vacation dates expire on March 31st the following year (e.g unused days from 2011 expire March 31st 2012). Nowadays Management urges you to hand in your vacation plans as it is tied to accounting. If you don't have a plan to use all your vacation the company has to put money aside to pay you instead. However, unused vacation days are taxed just like a normal working day so there is really no point in taking the money unless you are utterly broke.

I for one would love to have unlimited unpaid vacation. It would allow me to spend the winter in some sunny place and really take a time-out when you need it instead of running on empty until your next vacation.

Turgon

pruspeter wrote: »

wow that is amazing and i could not agree more with that article. The one line that hit it home for me was:
It treats employees like the adults they are. If they’re incapable of handling the responsibility that comes along with having unlimited vacation days, they're probably incapable of handling other responsibilities too, so don't hire them.

Companies should do this anyway. We are adults. Professionals take their work responsibilities very seriously indeed, at the same time they have responsibilities at home. Just have a good HR department and a good work culture and there are no major problems.

Turgon

ImTheKing wrote: »

Nope. 14 days of vacation, 14 days of sick leave. 40 hour weeks are mandated regardless of how many work days there are in the week (1 federal holiday in a week would result in you working 10 hours a day for the rest of the week).

Pretty strict.

Not in the UK. If a day is an official holiday you dont have to make your hours up by working longer in the other 4. Quite right too.

demonfurbie

here in alabama they treat ya like crap on vacation ... last i checked i get 5 days a year and no sick time

gotta love a right to work state

Turgon

demonfurbie wrote: »

here in alabama they treat ya like crap on vacation ... last i checked i get 5 days a year and no sick time

gotta love a right to work state

Are you a contractor or permanent? In the UK when contracting I got no sick pay or holiday pay. If you are permanent you get paid national holidays, a holiday quota of 25 days paid plus sick pay. Quite right too.

demonfurbie

permanent

cyberguypr

demonfurbie wrote: »

here in alabama they treat ya like crap on vacation ... last i checked i get 5 days a year and no sick time

gotta love a right to work state

Oh my! I think you got the worst vacation deal here.

demonfurbie

cyberguypr wrote: »

Oh my! I think you got the worst vacation deal here.

sadly i have one of the better deals in the state for none fed gov work

Turgon

demonfurbie wrote: »

permanent

Unbelievable. Write to your senator.

demonfurbie

Turgon wrote: »

Unbelievable. Write to your senator.

its a right to work state by state law they do not have to give you any vacation time/sick time/pay increases

Hypntick

I would say something about Alabama but.....Demonfurbie, if you want to move to TN, it's better here. Even when I was doing entry level help desk I always got at least 2 weeks each, plus other holidays.

demonfurbie

Hypntick wrote: »

I would say something about Alabama but.....Demonfurbie, if you want to move to TN, it's better here. Even when I was doing entry level help desk I always got at least 2 weeks each, plus other holidays.

im moving as soon as i finish wgu

erpadmin

Hypntick wrote: »

I would say something about Alabama but.....

Being from Memphis? C'mon now....(lol....:D )

In all seriousness, TN is also a right to work state. Very similar to Alabama, in fact. Both states have foreign auto companies with plants there...providing Americans with jobs at rates well below Detroit.

If you're gonna leave 'Bama for a right to work state, go Texas!!

Plantwiz

Turgon wrote: »

Unbelievable. Write to your senator.

Wrong country Turgon.
We have the right to write to our Senators but work rules are setup by each company, not the nation. Sure there are some guidelines in place, but this is the freedom of the market to decide what to do. People can accept it (an many do) or they can reject it. Some will argue they are 'stuck' and cannot move/leave/etc... and that may true in their case. However, companies that treat their employees oorly, amazingly still have employees.

And to 'demonfurbit' being in a 'right to work state' is a GOOD THING. It puts the choice in MY hands of the terms I agree to working and not have to blindly accept a union job because I have no choice if I want a certain job.

Unlike many places in Europe, in the US, the 'benefits' are negotiated by the employer and employee at time of hire. They are not standard and 'plush' as many of my European friend and family have. You want a day off here, depending on the company culture, YOU better take care of everything before and after the day off. At the same time, WE help breed that culture because there are not a lot of folks willing to share knowledge with their co-workers thereby when they need a day off, there is no one available to do the same work as the person wanting the day off. In companies where cross-training is the culture, it is easier to take a day off.

1 week of vacation is all I had at several companies I worked, nothing odd about that, but I didn't typically go anyplace and simply would pick up more hours at my other jobs to fill the void. Two is a little more common now, but generally 1 the first year, 2 the second - 10th year. Maybe 3 after 10 or maybe not. Sick days and vacation days I have seen abused, so while there are many comments for sick and vacation days...I'm split on that one. Generally, most people negotiate for 2 weeks at time of hire by giving up a little pay or making some other deal.

Plantwiz

Hypntick wrote: »

I would say something about Alabama but.....Demonfurbie, if you want to move to TN, it's better here. Even when I was doing entry level help desk I always got at least 2 weeks each, plus other holidays.

We'll he could be from Arkansas

Annapolis (2006) - Memorable quotes

Jake Huard: He's right you know.
Twins: Can I borrow your starch?
Jake Huard: Look, I don't get it. Why are you still here?
Twins: You want to know why I stay in this room?
Jake Huard: Yeah.
Twins: Cause Jake, you're my Mississippi.
Jake Huard: I'm your what?
Twins: People who live in Arkansas, you know what their favorite state is?
Jake Huard: No.
Twins: Mississippi. Cause Mississippi's the only thing that keeps Arkansas from being the worst state in the whole country.
Jake Huard: I'm Mississippi.
Twins: Well you sure as hell ain't California. Listen, Cole and Whitaker are so busy tryin' to run you out they forgot about me. As a matter of fact, they've forgotten about every other plebe in this whole company. That's why I stay in this room Jake. Cause if Mississippi quits, then all of a sudden Arkansas is the worst state in the whole country.