In my old job we had to pick our first two weeks by Dec. 15, and any remaining weeks by April 15, subject to seniority.
I now work for a school system, and it stinks because the program I work for is pretty much year round. Sure, I get Christmas off, but it costs SO much more to travel then. I get a long weekend in February off the week BEFORE my daughter's Feb. break. Last year we had the same week off in April, but this year we have different weeks off. I had almost week off when the standard school year was over, but the number of days depends on how many snow days we have throughout the year....and my daughter was not off most of those days. (Her school year runs a little later because of the Feb. vacation she gets.) This past summer I got ten days off in August, but we did not know the exact dates till the end of April. The prior year I only got a week in August, because we had a few Fridays off during the summer. Basically it comes down to a power struggle between the city and our union, and a very poorly worded contract. Right now I officially get 10 days paid vacation, but I can't TAKE them during ANY scheduled school days-I can only put in for pay on regular scheduled days off. Planning vacations ahead of time is extremely difficult. Really, I am limited to whatever they decide to give us in August.
I now work for a school system, and it stinks because the program I work for is pretty much year round. Sure, I get Christmas off, but it costs SO much more to travel then. I get a long weekend in February off the week BEFORE my daughter's Feb. break. Last year we had the same week off in April, but this year we have different weeks off. I had almost week off when the standard school year was over, but the number of days depends on how many snow days we have throughout the year....and my daughter was not off most of those days. (Her school year runs a little later because of the Feb. vacation she gets.) This past summer I got ten days off in August, but we did not know the exact dates till the end of April. The prior year I only got a week in August, because we had a few Fridays off during the summer. Basically it comes down to a power struggle between the city and our union, and a very poorly worded contract. Right now I officially get 10 days paid vacation, but I can't TAKE them during ANY scheduled school days-I can only put in for pay on regular scheduled days off. Planning vacations ahead of time is extremely difficult. Really, I am limited to whatever they decide to give us in August.