Getting Vacation Approved from Your Job?

[shyjade]

Be glad you get paid vacations! I've been at my office job for 10 years and last year the company cut our wages 15% and stopped all paid vacations and holidays (due to the economy).

But when we DID get paid vactions (in the past), we could request 1 year in advance.

 

[Planogirl]

We have set times where we bid for vacation. It used to be yearly but they changed it to once every six months which is a pain. For the last 6 months of this year, the bid is happening today for example. It's based on seniority and it's very difficult for newer people to get the time off they want.

I would definitely ask your supervisor about this. They should understand that you need to be able to book vacations.

 

[dae3dae3]

I don't want rain on the parade or anything but it doesn't really matter how other people's employers handle vacation time. It only matter's how the OP's employer handles vacation time. You need to talk to your manager.

Also, I wouldn't believe what other employees tell you. I work with highly intelligent educated people in a network control center and they still will happily spout off about junk they don't know anything about. Rumors turn to truth after they are repeated two or three times or else something will happen to a person once and then everybody thinks that is the rule even though it was a one time thing.

They may only take vacation requests a month in advance but you won't know for sure until you ask the decision maker. Even if they do only take the requests one month in advance they may give special instructions to let you know how to make sure you get the time requested. For example, let us know now but make the official request on a specific date. It couldn't hurt to try to talk to other workers to try to work it out so they don't all request off the same dates. That will usually help unless it is a huge group or somebody is just a jerk. Be willing to fill in for other people so they feel they owe you a favor. However, I'd hold off on all of that until you have talked to your manager.

I don't know how many times I've gotten what others thought of as special treatment just because I opened my mouth and asked the right person.

 

[larryz]

They should have spelled that out in your employee orientation. However, bosses will always appreciate knowing as far in advance as possible.

You definitely want some sort of commmitment that you're approved for time off before you start spending money... put your name on the leave calendar, and an email or leave approval request form will go a long way to document your desire to get that certain period as time off.

 

[Charleston Zurg]

Guess I am the lucky one. I started out with 30 days of leave time as soon as I enlisted. At my unit it is a first come first serve basis. We can request leave up until the day before. I have even has soldiers under me call me up the night before they leave asking for time off. As long as we can handle what we have going on it is always approved.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We have to put in our "official" notice 10 days prior, but if I know that I want to book something that I can't wait last minute for, I can get with my supervisor with my dates and she will write it on her calendar. Our only real issue is that they prefer we not take off at month end because of billing.

In fact she sent out a new form yesterday where we can go in and mark down dates we would like off for the rest of the year, so she can mark her calendar.


Suzanne

 

[siskaren]

I agree with dae3dae3 - OP should check with her manager, rather than just assuming that her co-workers are giving her correct information. One month is really not a lot of time to plan any vacation, not just a Disney vacation. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if they actually need at least a month's notice, not that vacation time can't be scheduled more than a month in advance, because I would think any employer would prefer having more notice that someone's going on vacation, rather than relatively little.

 

[TillyMarigold]

There are only 2 people at my workplace who can do my job, and one of us has to be physically present at all times. So we have to work it out between us who's going to be here, or else get special permission (like if we're both supposed to attend training, we're supposed to do it on different days, but if it's only offered once, we can get special permission). It's also first-come, first-served, so if I clear my schedule with my co-worker and request time off, he can't come back later and ask for the same days off.

I usually request my vacation about 3 months in advance which gives me plenty of time to be the "first come" because my co-worker rarely gets his plans firmed up more than 2 weeks in advance.

I also get 4 weeks a year because of how long I've been here, but it accrues on a rolling basis, 6 hours are added to our account every 2 weeks (156 hours total) and an additional 4 hours are given the last Friday of the year to add up to 160 (20 days × 8 hours). And unlike other jobs I've had, I can only take sick days if I or a family member is actually sick. (At my last job, sick leave was used for anything that came up at the last minute, like if your car breaks down. Here, that's vacation time.)

 

[JUS915]

I don't want rain on the parade or anything but it doesn't really matter how other people's employers handle vacation time. It only matter's how the OP's employer handles vacation time.

The OP said they knew it varied from job to job. They were just asking how other people's companies worked.

 

[sandym718]

Part-timer here with NO PTO at all. We submit in November for the following year like the part-timers. Difference is, ours are pretty much guaranteed, because we don't get paid for it anyways. And we can add add'l days during the year if needed. Last year, we planned a beach trip for August in June - I asked for and got the week off with no problem. Pluses and minuses to being P-T!

 

[frayedend]

The policy we have is 1 month notice for 1 week off. 1 week notice for 1 day off.

That being said when I plan a vacation is when I ask for time off. I already put on the schedule for my August trip. More notice is always better.

 

[dopeyone]

I'm fortunate enough to have a very flexible sched. I have a little bit of senority 18+yrs. and we are allowed to switch shifts with others,work for them, then they work for you when you need off. lots of doubles (shifts). In 18 yrs. the most I've worked in a year has been 115 days, average about 105-110 a year! Lots of doubles though...you can't beat the time off!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Offically our vacation opens up in December for the following year, usually around the middle of the month. Recently they tried to implement some changes that we couldn't request PTO until we 'earned' the time for that month (ex you earn 20 hours a month, so in Feb you could take a week off if you wanted) but it fell thru b/c of issues like scheduling reservations and such and was very non employee friendly. I am lucky though my department is pretty flexible and I can get just about whatever I want. The only times we have issues is holiday weeks when multiple people want off.

That being said the majority of our 10K+ employees don't have it that easy, they can request off starting in December but there just isn't that much time available, if they don't schedule that far ahead its hard to get a whole week. And unless you pick a random summer week you may not get it at all, holiday weeks and popular weeks go quickly to those with seniority. We only allow X many hours per day per center and once the hours are up that's it. I would say this inflexibility for the general popluation is why we have a high rate of people calling out alot, but the higher powers that be don't ask me when they make policies.

 

[carrie1626]

Looks like a lot of people don't have it any better than me

In my group of co-workers (12) that work between 3 sites, our supervisor has mandated that no more than 40 hrs of vacation time can be used in one week.
We start on Jan 1, first come, first serve for days or weeks off. By the third week of Jan, 49 weeks of the calender were either "closed" ( all 40 hrs) or close to it ( so maybe 8 hrs was available)

That means having to plan your entire social life and vacation time for the WHOLE year way too far in advance!!

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Since this isn't really a question about theme parks attractions and strategies, I've moved it to the Theme Parks Community board.

 

[Britgirlus]

My husband put his request for his time off this coming May last November, I think - he has worked there 20+ years, and pretty much gets off what he wants, as long as he has the time coming to him. I am self employed - a childcare provider - so I like to let my families know as soon as I know - so they all got a note in January with my closed dates.

 

[luvthemouse71]

With my hospital, you make your requests in the beginning of the year which seems to work OK..the only thing I don't like is that sometimes I'd like to wait to see if offers will come out but I have to make my requests early. If I don't, I may not get what I want.

 

[jelloarms]

Wow, I totally was not expecting this many replies. I truly truly appreciate all your input!

Be glad you get paid vacations! I've been at my office job for 10 years and last year the company cut our wages 15% and stopped all paid vacations and holidays (due to the economy).

But when we DID get paid vactions (in the past), we could request 1 year in advance.

Wow, so does that mean you guys can NEVER take vacation? Or do you have the option of taking unpaid leave at least? I know for my company, taking unpaid leave is NOT an option and is grounds for termination.

I don't want rain on the parade or anything but it doesn't really matter how other people's employers handle vacation time. It only matter's how the OP's employer handles vacation time. You need to talk to your manager.

Also, I wouldn't believe what other employees tell you. I work with highly intelligent educated people in a network control center and they still will happily spout off about junk they don't know anything about. Rumors turn to truth after they are repeated two or three times or else something will happen to a person once and then everybody thinks that is the rule even though it was a one time thing.

They may only take vacation requests a month in advance but you won't know for sure until you ask the decision maker. Even if they do only take the requests one month in advance they may give special instructions to let you know how to make sure you get the time requested. For example, let us know now but make the official request on a specific date. It couldn't hurt to try to talk to other workers to try to work it out so they don't all request off the same dates. That will usually help unless it is a huge group or somebody is just a jerk. Be willing to fill in for other people so they feel they owe you a favor. However, I'd hold off on all of that until you have talked to your manager.

I don't know how many times I've gotten what others thought of as special treatment just because I opened my mouth and asked the right person.

After working here for a few weeks, I've come to realize that your co-workers and my co-workers seem a lot alike. Some people say one thing, others say another...yeah, I def. think I'll talk to my boss.

Looks like a lot of people don't have it any better than me

In my group of co-workers (12) that work between 3 sites, our supervisor has mandated that no more than 40 hrs of vacation time can be used in one week.
We start on Jan 1, first come, first serve for days or weeks off. By the third week of Jan, 49 weeks of the calender were either "closed" ( all 40 hrs) or close to it ( so maybe 8 hrs was available)

That means having to plan your entire social life and vacation time for the WHOLE year way too far in advance!!

Wow, that REALLY seems difficult. How are you supposed to know what's going to happen 10 months from now? Ah well. What can ye do...

 

[dromme]

I'm a teacher and I went last October and will be going again this October. We get Thursday and Friday off for an optional state professional conference. I take my 3 personal days on Mon., Tues., and Wedn. I will put in for my leave at the end of this year's school party. I have not had a problem. The key for my job is planning ahead and getting my requests in as early as possible.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Wow, I totally was not expecting this many replies. I truly truly appreciate all your input!





Wow, so does that mean you guys can NEVER take vacation? Or do you have the option of taking unpaid leave at least? I know for my company, taking unpaid leave is NOT an option and is grounds for termination.





After working here for a few weeks, I've come to realize that your co-workers and my co-workers seem a lot alike. Some people say one thing, others say another...yeah, I def. think I'll talk to my boss.




Wow, that REALLY seems difficult. How are you supposed to know what's going to happen 10 months from now? Ah well. What can ye do...

My husbands last job didn't give them paid time off, so we would just have to save the extra to cover the time he would have been working, as well as money for our trips. It wasn't a huge deal, because he didn't make much anyway. He will have 1 unpaid day off this time, because he hasn't been at this new job long, but he was already scheduled off for 3 of the days anyway. Starting next year, he will have 1 paid week off, that will be nice

Suzanne