Your Employers Vacation Policy

[BlackArcher101]

Curious what others have for a vacation policy. I'm in a bit of a battle with my employer in that regards and trying to see what is more "normal" out there. This isn't about how much time you have, but how much freedom you have in scheduling it. More geared towards the salaried office staff employees.

- How are you allowed to schedule your first two weeks of vacation?
(ie, must it be taken in 1 week blocks or can you take days here and there?)
- If you have more than 2 weeks vacation, is your scheduling freedom different than the first two weeks?

[billybob123]

I love my job. It's entirely results-oriented so I can take vacation whenever I want, and essentially how much I want. However, the results-oriented part implies that I do need to produce, so I never really take vacation unless I really want to; and the most I've taken is 10 days consecutive (incl. weekends).

I think officially I'm allowed 2 paid weeks plus sick days (dunno how many) but my boss doesn't really care as long as I produce.

Of course, at my salary vs my education to reach this point, I should only be working 180 days a year anyway.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

I've got absolutely no restrictions on when I can take my vacation, I just have to make sure my boss is cool with it.

If I'm just going to take a Friday or Monday, I can even get away with telling my boss a day or two in advance as long as it's not too crazy around the office.

If I give enough notice I could take it all in one go if I wanted. One of the girls i work with carried over a bunch and went to Japan for 7 weeks, so yeah, if the timing is right, we can pretty much do whatever we want.

[Ashartus]

We can break up our vacation pretty much however we want. The only restrictions are that supervisor permission is needed - basically would never be refused if it's just for a day or two, and would only be refused for longer vacations if other people in a similar role were already taking a vacation at that time.

[Sliver]

Depends on your job. When I was in investor relations I'd have been an idiot to take off time around quarter-end, year-end, or AGM/annual report season. There was no rule barring it, but I'd have been pretty clueless if I'd tried to leave then.

I think you have to be flexible based on the requirements of the position, but they have to return that consideration when it comes time for your vacation.

[tete]

My vacation time is completely flexible - I actually asked for this afternoon off as a vacation half day this morning and there was no problem at all. I used to work at a job that was more customer service based and I was more restricted to what days I asked off - if my supervisor (who I shared c/s duties with) was already off, I wouldn't be able to take the day. But it was a small office and we respected each other, so it was rare that our vacation days conflicted.

[Bill Bumface]

Totally flexible, just have to make sure the other guys in my role are ok with covering for me. 3 or 4 weeks at a time seems to be no big deal.

[burn_this_city]

I can go anytime, but with consideration for whats going on around the office.

[Cheese]

anytime I want...but then Im anal and havent taken all my vacation the last 3 years...so this year I may catch up.
Im also allowed 20 PTOs per year that I can use for Doctors visits, illness etc that I never use...hmmm...now that I think about it Im gonna take the rest of the year off....see ya.

[mykalberta]

Very flexible just need to give 2 week notice and ensure nothing major going on.

They dont allow days to be transferrable so you have to use them up before the end of the year.

[fredr123]

According to Alberta's Employment Standards Code:

37(1) Employers must give employees their annual vacation in one unbroken period no later than 12 months after an employee becomes entitled to it.
(2) If an employee so requests in writing, the employer may provide the vacation in two or more periods, so long as each vacation period is at least one day long.



38 If an employer and an employee are unable to agree on a mutually satisfactory date to start the employee’s annual vacation, the employer must give the employee at least 2 weeks’ written notice of the date on which the employee’s annual vacation is to start, and the employee must take the vacation at that time.

Not sure that this is ever followed in practice.

[Icon]

We have a "vacation request form"... basically write down the days/weeks I want - propose it to my boss... he makes sure that half the office isn't gone already that day, and signs it, and writes those days down on his calendar. Basically a first-come-first-served basis as far as who gets what.

[Table 5]

Vacationing is interesting when you're self employed.

I tend to work 6-7 days a week (ironically when you can work as much as you want, you tend to work pretty much all the time), but then I also get the chance to take many more trips than most people just because I can be flexible. In the end, while I work most weekends, I probably take more weeks off than the average Frenchman!

Completely useless answer to your question....

[WhiteTiger]

Ours are pretty straightforward. The employer prefers you take them in week sized blocks, but if you really wanted to chop them up into days, they'd likely not gripe too much.

It's assigned on a seniority basis, which can be a bit of a pita if you want vacation around specific popular holidays. Beyond that, they are pretty laid back about it.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Vacationing is interesting when you're self employed.

I tend to work 6-7 days a week (ironically when you can work as much as you want, you tend to work pretty much all the time), but then I also get the chance to take many more trips than most people just because I can be flexible. In the end, while I work most weekends, I probably take more weeks off than the average Frenchman!

Completely useless answer to your question....

I'm the same as you but lets face facts man...this is not possible

[Temporary_User]

I currently get 365 days a year off.


Anyone looking to hire a recent university graduate?

[Pacem]

I can now take up to 3 weeks time off. I'll likely never get more then 3 weeks, as thats all that my boss is required to give me. My boss is pretty flexible for when I can take time off. This year for example, I used 2 days when I went to Calgary in January. I'm using 3 days when I go to Vegas in April. And sometime in September/October i'll be taking another 5 days off. In 7 years I don't think i've used up all my vacation time. I still get my full vacation pay, I like having the extra money as opposed to time off. There is no advance notice that I have to give in order to get vacation time. I just have to be reasonable and it depends on what is going on in the store.

My wife on the other hand has to have all her vacation time booked by January 31st for the year. I hate how her employers are not flexible.

[FlameOn]

I have a decent policy... Three weeks off and I can take any time off anytime as long as I book the time off two weeks in advance for or so for long breaks and don't do the whole take vacation when half the team is off already.

I've managed to get days off a few days in advance and my boss has had no problems

[gartman]

Pretty similar to one of the guys above, can take it with short notice if its slow, or long ones with decent notice (2 weeks?)

But have to say boss is a pretty chill he doesnt nit pick about that kind of stuff and lets most of us go when we want.

[Mazrim]

I get three weeks I can use in any increments. I can also purchase an additional two weeks of vacation which I've done. Having 5 weeks makes the summer so much more enjoyable.