Comp time

[akafred]

I have a "goals meeting" with my boss this afternoon. I worked a shitton of overtime last month, and if the subject comes up, I'd like to ask that instead of just not asking for PTO for the week I took off at Christmas (his solution), I be able to leave about 2 hours early on Fridays this summer. Realistically this would only happen roughly 75% of the time, so maybe 18 hours. I have accrued 55 hours of overtime. I would propose that I put in for 2 days of vacation for that week at Christmas, leaving 3 days from that week as comp time (24 hours) plus the roughly 18 hours in the summer, for a total of 42 hours. Technically this is not in my favor as a 1:1 comp time deal, but I am ok with that. I just could use more summer sun and fun with DD on Friday afternoons than I can use more PTO in the bank.

Is this a reasonable ask? Or is it too far away or raise too many eyebrows when I leave early a lot in the summer?

[mae0111]

I think that sounds more than fair. As a (former) manager, I would absolutely agree to it if one of my more diligent staff members requested this. It might raise eyebrows, but you have to decide if you care about that. Just make sure you get it in writing so that your manager can't back out of it later.

[2chatter]

That would never happen here. 55 hours OT would just be a bad month. It’s day two of work and I will be at 5 hours OT by the time I stop today. I got a comp day when I was working 70 hours weeks for months.

Having said that - if your culture is a 1:1 comp time I would totally ask for it!! If he agrees i would create a calendar invite recurring series with a description of the discussion, list of applicable dates and time in the body of the meeting then I would make sure he clicks Accept.

[akafred]

2chatter, I don't see how you do it. Seriously.

It was 55 hours in 2.5 weeks if that makes a difference, mostly over Thanksgiving weekend and the following weekend. So there's an element of having given up holiday plans with my family etc. But anyway he said it was ok to not submit my vacation request for the week I was off. I'm really just wondering if it is reasonable instead to have summer Friday afternoons (unless work gets in the way, of course). It would feel more like an even trade for me to get some summer afternoons with my kiddo vs just having more PTO in the bank. And since we can't take PTO in 2 hour increments, I can't really bank it and use it for that anyway.

[waverly]

It does seem kind of far away. But if you don't ask the answer will alway be no.

We don't work overtime or get comp time here. Plus we have desks to staff, so people can't do half days on Fridays. Lots of other companies though have summer hours either half day on Friday or every other Friday off.

[k3am]

akafred, my only concern is that, from the sounds of things, this would be an agreement with your manager only, and possibly not above board with the rest of the company, since 2 hour PTO increments aren't okay in general. Which is all fine and dandy until your manager is no longer with the company for one reason or another, or someone outside of your management chain questions it. Is it something you can get in writing or would it just be a deal you guys both agree to?

[2chatter]

akafred - I have no commute - which really helps!

Prohibiting small increments of PTO use would bug me. Here it’s prohibited but permitted in our department with approval. If it’s like that ask!

[akafred]

k3am, I am aware I could lose out if I move positions or if my manager does or leaves the company. I think the risk of either is relatively low.

PTO here is for 4-hour or 8-hour increments. Which is normally ok, but A) I think it would be frowned upon to take 1/2 day almost every Friday in the summer. But if it is more amenable to him then I will bank the PTO and take 1/2 days off. Even better for me!

The OT comp time is not an official policy. It's just kind of a gentlemen's agreement.

[k3am]

akafred, you have much more faith in gentlemen's agreements than I do. I have been on the wrong side of those agreements one too many times.

[akafred]

Jan 3, 2018 16:37:21 GMT -5 k3am said:

akafred, you have much more faith in gentlemen's agreements than I do. I have been on the wrong side of those agreements one too many times.

The whole thing is a gentlemen's agreement. Technically he can't give me comp time for working overtime anyway. If he agrees, though, I will throw it on his calendar so there are no surprises.

[akafred]

I decided to not put in for the week in December at all unless pressed on it, and I informed my manager that I intend to take 1/2 days off on Friday afternoons in the summer (full half days), except when I couldn't, of course. Those will be taken as PTO from the bank I have now after December's "free" week. He agreed with this and said he did it for a couple months in Fall. After the meeting I went ahead and put the 1/2 days off on our calendars too.

Also this way I am protected if he leaves (or I do), and if I leave the company I will get paid for it. So thanks for the advice.

[2chatter]

Perfect! Great solution and glad it worked out!