Help me decide - vacation time

[Deleted]

I'm trying to decide if I want to take the week of Christmas off or not. My boss suggested it last week and I've been mulling it over.

I'll only get holiday pay for Christmas and New Years Day. The 4 other days will be unpaid.

I can afford to take the week off and not have it cause any financial strain. Even if my car were to break down or something, things would still be good in the hood.

I'm tossing ideas of staying a night or 2 in Park City with friends. Nothing is set in stone but gosh, a week vacation would be nice. Especially when work will be slow and quiet.

So help me decide. To take a stay-cation or not to take a stay-cation. What would stop you from taking the time off?

ETA - This is the first time in 3 years I've had vacation time. In the past vacations have always been taken without vacation time. So it seems "normal" to me to not have vacation time. Vacation time is now like an added bonus to taking a vacation.

[Deleted]

Not getting paid would stop me from taking the time off.

[Deleted]

It will be all gone by that week. I have 1 day left and that's being used for my 2 day Vegas trip in 3 weeks.

I have a week of vacation time, and started this summer so I've only earned half of those. I will likely always have more vacations then vacation time available.

[cjeanette]

It's not vacation time if they don't pay you.

[Velvetshady]

Did I miss a post where you announced you won the Powerball or something?

[Deleted]

I'd maybe take a poll among people who don't get much vacation on how their companies look at taking unpaid vacation time. I'm lucky that I get more than I would ever use, but particularly as someone who is straight out of college and new at the company, I would be reluctant to go take unpaid leave without knowing that everyone else at the company does it and it is commonly accepted.

[Deleted]

What about positions where people don't get vacation time? Do you think they don't take vacations?

I guess I should rephrase my question - "help me decide about taking an unpaid vacation."

[Velvetshady]

Nov 28, 2012 14:11:15 GMT -5 blissanity said:

What about positions where people don't get vacation time? Do you think they don't take vacations?

WTF does this have to do with you? You say you get paid vacation. And unless you got a huge windfall very recently, you shouldn't even be considering volunteering to give up any income. The fact that you are even considering it shows that you don't even want to attempt to learn from your past.

[Deleted]

My BOSS suggested it. Taking unpaid vacation time is not frowned upon; I already asked. Apparently, it's pretty dead around here during that week which is why he suggested it.

Again, taking a few days unpaid won't have any dire financial effects. Even if my car broke down, I had to visit the ER or whatever. I'd still end up on my feet and in the black. I posted about this the other day.

I can't decide. I go back and forth. I may just end up taking 1-2 unpaid vacation days and not the full week.

[cjeanette]

Nov 28, 2012 14:11:15 GMT -5 blissanity said:

What about positions where people don't get vacation time? Do you think they don't take vacations?

I guess I should rephrase my question - "help me decide about taking an unpaid vacation."

I don't know anyone who takes more than their alloted PTO/vacation time.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2012 14:11:15 GMT -5 blissanity said:

What about positions where people don't get vacation time? Do you think they don't take vacations?

I guess I should rephrase my question - "help me decide about taking an unpaid vacation."

Those are totally different.

I take "you get x days of paid vacation" as a cue that that's the amount they want you to take off that year, not as an invitation to take as much as you want as long as you don't expect to get paid.

Also, as a new employee who wants to make it in this industry, I'd want to see as the hardworking new employee who is at work a lot, not the one who takes a lot of vacation and sick days and such.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2012 14:20:50 GMT -5 kooshball said:

Hey, have you ever considered your boss might not be on your side?

... or that even if your boss doesn't care, your boss's boss, and your boss's equals, whom you also want to respect you, may have different opinions on the topic?

[heyrebekah]

Nov 28, 2012 14:19:07 GMT -5 blissanity said:

My BOSS suggested it. Taking unpaid vacation time is not frowned upon; I already asked. Apparently, it's pretty dead around here during that week which is why he suggested it.

He suggested that for the company's benefit, not yours, so they don't have to pay you when it's slow.

I would go in to work. Nothing to do, easy money, sitting around on the computer...those are my favorite days at work.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the responses ladies.

As always you've given me a lot to think about.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2012 14:23:46 GMT -5 heyrebekah said:

Nov 28, 2012 14:19:07 GMT -5 blissanity said:

My BOSS suggested it. Taking unpaid vacation time is not frowned upon; I already asked. Apparently, it's pretty dead around here during that week which is why he suggested it.

He suggested that for the company's benefit, not yours, so they don't have to pay you when it's slow.

I would go in to work. Nothing to do, easy money, sitting around on the computer...those are my favorite days at work.

Yeah -- maybe he's above his budget for the year, and he thinks that's an easy way to save his own ass.

[Velvetshady]

Or maybe that your boss is just trying to save the company money by getting you to give them back three days pay you show have earned? Hell, might cover your "tiny" raise.





Just as logical as your subliminal plan to avoid your cramps for 9 months by an "opps" pregnancy.

[Deleted]

Ya an "oops" pregnancy is NEVER going to happen. That crap is getting real old. I'd rather have cramps every day of my life than have a child. So give that up already.

I don't think my boss is out to get me. But that's an interesting theory. I'll consider that.

I think I'll just take the day after Christmas off and work Thursday/Friday. Or maybe work Wednesday/Thursday and take Friday off. I'm trying to organize a snowboarding adventure so we'll see how it all works out.

Thanks again ladies. I will NOT be taking the full 4 days of unpaid vacation time.

[Velvetshady]

Nov 28, 2012 14:35:03 GMT -5 blissanity said:

That crap is getting real old.

And so is your refusal to acknowledge and learn from your past.

If you really don't think you will need the money, then work the days and put the money you earned in your Go the Heck out of Utah fund. Or is having a couple days of sitting in a slow office not worth meeting your goals to you?

[Velvetshady]

dup

[livinitup]

I know a few dentists who give their hygenists some vacation time and then close the office and furlow the staff for Christmas to NewYears. Everybody seems to like it. I was friendly with one dentist who wanted to keep the office open - and pay his employees for Christmas week and they totally rebelled and HATED the idea. Even unpaid, they saw it as a benefit of employment to have the week "off" with their school age kids.

[gt7301b]

I would not take time off unpaid around the holidays. Those are the easiest days of the year to work.

The only reason I take off is my family is out of state and we travel.

[AAM2012]

Can you even wipe your own ass without having to ask us whether you should or not?

[Deleted]

Really?! I hate sitting around doing nothing. Even if I'm getting paid.....it makes me ragey. It's just so damn boring. I'm not used to sitting around though. It's definitely an adjustment.

If I'm at work, I want to work, not just surf the internet.

[gt7301b]

Nov 28, 2012 16:15:41 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Really?! I hate sitting around doing nothing. Even if I'm getting paid.....it makes me ragey. It's just so damn boring. I'm not used to sitting around though. It's definitely an adjustment.

If I'm at work, I want to work, not just surf the internet.

I don't like going weeks without work, but a few days around the holidays is bliss. It is like a staycation you just can't sleep in.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2012 16:34:27 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

Nov 28, 2012 16:15:41 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Really?! I hate sitting around doing nothing. Even if I'm getting paid.....it makes me ragey. It's just so damn boring. I'm not used to sitting around though. It's definitely an adjustment.

If I'm at work, I want to work, not just surf the internet.

I don't like going weeks without work, but a few days around the holidays is bliss. It is like a staycation you just can't sleep in.

It's been weeks for me. Which is why the idea of taking a few days off is appealing. But only working 2 days the week of Christmas isn't all that bad.

ETA - 3 days. Typing too many things at once.

[cjeanette]

Nov 28, 2012 16:15:41 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Really?! I hate sitting around doing nothing. Even if I'm getting paid.....it makes me ragey. It's just so damn boring. I'm not used to sitting around though. It's definitely an adjustment.

If I'm at work, I want to work, not just surf the internet.

stream Netflix on your computer.

Not that I have done that or anything

[Velvetshady]

Nov 28, 2012 16:43:08 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Nov 28, 2012 16:34:27 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

I don't like going weeks without work, but a few days around the holidays is bliss. It is like a staycation you just can't sleep in.

It's been weeks for me. Which is why the idea of taking a few days off is appealing. But only working 2 days the week of Christmas isn't all that bad.

So having a couple days off is more important to you than moving out of Utah? Right? Cause that is what you are proving here.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2012 16:44:55 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

Nov 28, 2012 16:15:41 GMT -5 blissanity said:

Really?! I hate sitting around doing nothing. Even if I'm getting paid.....it makes me ragey. It's just so damn boring. I'm not used to sitting around though. It's definitely an adjustment.

If I'm at work, I want to work, not just surf the internet.

stream Netflix on your computer.

Not that I have done that or anything

Now, that could get me into trouble.

I watched Pretty Little Liars once on my lunch and my boss was quick to let me know that it wasn't acceptable outside of my lunch hour.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2012 16:45:58 GMT -5 Velvetshady said:

Nov 28, 2012 16:43:08 GMT -5 blissanity said:

It's been weeks for me. Which is why the idea of taking a few days off is appealing. But only working 2 days the week of Christmas isn't all that bad.

So having a couple days off is more important to you than moving out of Utah? Right? Cause that is what you are proving here.

Did you read my response where I said that I WAS NOT taking the days off? Here it is again....

"Ya an "oops" pregnancy is NEVER going to happen. That crap is getting real old. I'd rather have cramps every day of my life than have a child. So give that up already.

I don't think my boss is out to get me. But that's an interesting theory. I'll consider that.

I think I'll just take the day after Christmas off and work Thursday/Friday. Or maybe work Wednesday/Thursday and take Friday off. I'm trying to organize a snowboarding adventure so we'll see how it all works out.

Thanks again ladies. I will NOT be taking the full 4 days of unpaid vacation time.

Read more: pandce.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=mm&action=display&thread=96861#ixzz2DYZUk7Bf"

[mrssandro]

I wouldn't. If I was strapped for cash it doesn't make MM sense to take unpaid time off from work.