How much vacation time do you get?
- Thread starter RoJoHen
- Start date
I am actually horrified to learn that there is not a law regarding mandatory vacation time in the US. I kind of assumed that 2 weeks vacation was a given in North America if you had a full time job. Just goes to show how little I really do know about my neighbours!
I feel incredibly fortunate at my job. I have just put in enough time to get 25 days vacation plus stat holidays. I have been there 9 years in a salaried position. I have always known I was lucky to get my job (I had a standard, minimum wage, 2 weeks off job before) but after reading this I realize that I should never leave my current position!
I feel incredibly fortunate at my job. I have just put in enough time to get 25 days vacation plus stat holidays. I have been there 9 years in a salaried position. I have always known I was lucky to get my job (I had a standard, minimum wage, 2 weeks off job before) but after reading this I realize that I should never leave my current position!
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Workers in the US have very, very few rights. There is no guarantee of minimum (or maximum) hours, a very low (relative to living standards) minimum wage, employment is almost always "at will" (meaning you can be terminated at any time for almost any reason), and there is no guarantee of paid time off whatsoever. Even unpaid time off is only guaranteed by laws covering certain family events, such as the birth or death of a loved one, or military service. Plenty of jobs take the line that if you don't come in to work when they tell you, you can find yourself a new job.
Only with Obamacare is there anything resembling a guarantee of health coverage, and even that has significant exceptions.
I already knew that but I'm still horrified when I read it. I'd be terrified to work in such an environment.
Unfortunately, we're all so used to it that we don't really think much of it.
I think there's a pretty big difference between for-profits and non-profits.
I have worked for both, and it was like night and day. The for-profit had 5 paid holidays a year, and if you took sick time it was because you were weak and didn't care about the company. On the other hand, they had cash incentives for performance. The culture there was very difficult for me. Pressure!!!
Now that I'm back with a non-profit, I feel much better. I can sleep at night, anyway.
They offer a lot more understanding and flexibility. In return, we have to bring our own pens from home... (no, not really, but it is a different work environment). In non-profits, they've said "take care of your family" if we had an issue. They work with you.
I have worked for both, and it was like night and day. The for-profit had 5 paid holidays a year, and if you took sick time it was because you were weak and didn't care about the company. On the other hand, they had cash incentives for performance. The culture there was very difficult for me. Pressure!!!
Now that I'm back with a non-profit, I feel much better. I can sleep at night, anyway.
They offer a lot more understanding and flexibility. In return, we have to bring our own pens from home... (no, not really, but it is a different work environment). In non-profits, they've said "take care of your family" if we had an issue. They work with you.
sounds good 
If it's not too personal a question, for which non-profit organisation do you work?
I get the standard 30 working days a year that are pretty common for full-time employees in Germany. If you plan your vacation strategically around public holidays you can make more than 7 weeks out of these 30 days =)
If it's not too personal a question, for which non-profit organisation do you work?I get the standard 30 working days a year that are pretty common for full-time employees in Germany. If you plan your vacation strategically around public holidays you can make more than 7 weeks out of these 30 days =)
sounds good
I don't want to be too specific, but I work for a large non-profit medical corporation in California. We have 13 clinics, 300 employees, and 25,000 patients a year, mostly Medi-Cal and the uninsured.
That sounds like a pretty cool job! You do something useful & for those people who are the weakest link in society and health system. And contrary to many other non-profit organisations you have a visible and tangible success. =)
I think there's a pretty big difference between for-profits and non-profits.
I have worked for both, and it was like night and day. The for-profit had 5 paid holidays a year, and if you took sick time it was because you were weak and didn't care about the company. On the other hand, they had cash incentives for performance. The culture there was very difficult for me. Pressure!!!
Now that I'm back with a non-profit, I feel much better. I can sleep at night, anyway.
This has been my experience as well. Although there are issues with not for profit entities, such as little incentive to work harder because promotions are nearly impossible or a bureaucratic nightmare, no cash incentives, and less than ideal facilities and supplies, I've also found that they are extremely understanding of work-life balance. My employer would be upset if we came in to work sick and would send me home right away. They also encourage us to take our vacation time and to work with our schedules to allow us to care for our families. If someone stays late too often it is actually frowned upon, because it is recognized that our office can get very hectic and that to prevent anyone from having stress overload they really need to allow themselves crucial time away from work.
So in all, it's not such a bad place to work!
We do what we can...
And yes, non-profits are often poorly resourced and a bit fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants. Still, I would take that any day over my for-profit job (Director of a Methadone Clinic). I felt like I was living Glengarry Glen Ross...
But in exchange we get Freedom™, Opportunity™, and the Chance to Make it Big™ so all things considered it's pretty even.
I'm a civil service employee working for a public utility agency, and my vacation accruals are based on my years of service. Right now on my 16th year, I accrue up to 21 days of vacation leave.
21 Days of Vacation
12 Holidays
1 Birthday Leave
110 Hours of Sick Leave (at the rate 4 hours accrued every two-week pay period)
21 Days of Vacation
12 Holidays
1 Birthday Leave
110 Hours of Sick Leave (at the rate 4 hours accrued every two-week pay period)
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How much vacation time to you receive at your job?
5 weeks at Summer
1 week in Fall
2 weeks at Christmas
1 week in Spring
plus 8 holiday days
Are you salaried or an hourly employee?
Salaried
Full-time or part-time?
Full Time
Did you have to work there for a while before you earned that vacation time, or did you get it right from the start?
Got it right from the start.
5 weeks at Summer
1 week in Fall
2 weeks at Christmas
1 week in Spring
plus 8 holiday days
Are you salaried or an hourly employee?
Salaried
Full-time or part-time?
Full Time
Did you have to work there for a while before you earned that vacation time, or did you get it right from the start?
Got it right from the start.
I've been a full-time civil servant for nearly 24 years and am paid fortnightly.
I get twenty-nine days' annual leave (which I rarely come close to using).
Potentially a day's flexi leave after every four weeks, if enough time is worked (which is always or nearly always the case). I think it's been several years since I last used a flexi day, so generally the hours keep getting carried forward, subject to a limit of 11hrs 30 mins.
I get twenty-nine days' annual leave (which I rarely come close to using).
Potentially a day's flexi leave after every four weeks, if enough time is worked (which is always or nearly always the case). I think it's been several years since I last used a flexi day, so generally the hours keep getting carried forward, subject to a limit of 11hrs 30 mins.
When we were doing the flexitime thing, we were technically limited to 10 hours, though in one special case we were allowed to have go over the limit. For that quarter, if I remember rightly, I generated 74 hours, just enough for two more weeks holiday.
Salaried worker. Currently part time, but same conditions if I was full time. Effective from first day employment. It's all law.
4 weeks paid leave. The company can ask you to use this if you accrue a lot of hours, but it never stops accruing.
Full time workers get 10 paid sick days - this is pro-rated for non full time workers. These are use it or lose it.
11 paid public holidays - if the public holiday falls on one of my days off I get a different day instead. If they ask me to work, I get a different day off instead or I get extra pay.
After 10 years with the company I'll be given 10 weeks paid long service leave. To use at my leisure.
I love Australia.
4 weeks paid leave. The company can ask you to use this if you accrue a lot of hours, but it never stops accruing.
Full time workers get 10 paid sick days - this is pro-rated for non full time workers. These are use it or lose it.
11 paid public holidays - if the public holiday falls on one of my days off I get a different day instead. If they ask me to work, I get a different day off instead or I get extra pay.
After 10 years with the company I'll be given 10 weeks paid long service leave. To use at my leisure.
I love Australia.
I get two weeks of vacation time a year, plus a week off for Christmas if I do 16 hours of community service.
If I stick with the company for 3-5 years (I can't remember the exact figure) vacation time gets bumped up to three weeks a year.
We also get six sick days a year and all major holidays off. Not bad, really. The culture at this company really encourages people to take all their paid time off, which is nice.
If I stick with the company for 3-5 years (I can't remember the exact figure) vacation time gets bumped up to three weeks a year.
We also get six sick days a year and all major holidays off. Not bad, really. The culture at this company really encourages people to take all their paid time off, which is nice.
I graduated from college in '09 and haven't been able to get anything about a temp job yet. Even worked for a year and a half in the same temp job and got fired before I was mandated a raise. So, no vacation days or sick days just yet. Maybe someday, I guess.
EDIT: The raise was going to be 25 cents, by the way.
EDIT: The raise was going to be 25 cents, by the way.
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