How does your place of employment handle vacation requests?

[Disney1fan2002]

I have not worked in the past 9 years. Beofre that I worked as a rural carrier for the post office. I had a subsitute, so I could take vacation anytime I wanted, and my sub would work those days.

Five years ago, I got a part time job delivering pizza. I don't get paid time off, so I just tell them when I am on vacation and they adjust the schedule.

Now, I started a new career as a phlebotomist in a hospital. I was hired per diem in January. That was great, because I only worked when they needed me to, and at my convenience. A few weeks ago, my boss promoted me to part-time. I now earn vacation time and sick time. It also means I have to put in for time off, and it is based on seniority. I understand that. Here is what I am nervous about..... my supervisor explained there is no 1st come, 1st serve for vacation requests. It is 100% seniority. Which means, I could put in for my week off in November now, but if someone comes along in October and wants that same week, and they have more seniority than me, they will get it. The only rule is you have to submit your vacation request 30 days out. So as long as they have their request in before the 30 day mark, they are entitled to it.

I think that's crappy. My sister works for another hospital, and they have what they call "high seasons" for vacations. In Feb or March, the vacation calendar goes around starting with the highest seniority. Two employees are allowed out each week. They fill in the weeks they want for the summer months. So as it works down the list, the lower seniority people know what weeks are available for them to make their plans.

I don't like that I can book a trip to Disney a year out, and one month before my trip, I could be told I can't get the week off, because someone higher than me decided to take that same week off.

Does this happen anywhere else? Now I am going to stress for the next 5 months. I put my slip in, but I am going to worry that someone is going to decide they need to take a week to clean their house for the Thanksgiving holiday. They'll decide that in October.

Makes me want to go back to being per diem.

 

[abdmom]

This is typical for hospitals. As the new person, don't count on having federal holidays off either.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

This is typical for hospitals. As the new person, don't count on having federal holidays off either.

Oh I don't care about working holidays. We have to sign up to work on the holiday. We are required to work 2, but can work as many as we want.

This whole vacation thing is scary. I have a hotel booked, and passes bought. We're driving, but I could have airfare bought.

 

[LMC]

When I worked in a large dept in a bank (30 employees or so) the calendar would go around in December for the new year. You would put down what you wanted. You knew it would happen so you knew to be ready when it came by. It started with the most senior person. They put what they wanted. IF they wanted to change it later, they had to take what was left. I think that is only fair so that everyone can make plans. They do get first pick after all. I work temp right now at a place with all men who are union and they get to change all the time and it is by senority so if a long timer wants that week you choose three months ago for June, guess what, you are bumped. Even though it does not affect me, I don't think it is fair, these guys make plans and have reservations to go places then someone decides he wants it and bumps them. Oh, and the spouses have to make the same plans too so it's not like it just affects the one guy.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

When I worked in a large dept in a bank (30 employees or so) the calendar would go around in December for the new year. You would put down what you wanted. You knew it would happen so you knew to be ready when it came by. It started with the most senior person. They put what they wanted. IF they wanted to change it later, they had to take what was left. I think that is only fair so that everyone can make plans. They do get first pick after all.

See, that's how I think it should be done. Most people know a year out what their vacation plans are. Some people take the same week year after year. I just don't like the idea that someone could have travel plans, and because of where they are in the pecking order, get bumped a month from their travel date.

 

[Colleen27]

The only job I worked with paid vacation was the same, and it came as a shock to me too because I was used to doing short-term contract work and just telling the agency I worked through that I was unavailable for XXX dates. I took the full-time position because of the benefits, including the fairly generous paid leave. Thankfully there were only two of us in my classification in the building (tech support in a govt office) so I could coordinate personally with the senior IT to lessen the chance of conflicts.

 

[jrmasm]

I have not worked in the past 9 years. Beofre that I worked as a rural carrier for the post office. I had a subsitute, so I could take vacation anytime I wanted, and my sub would work those days.

Five years ago, I got a part time job delivering pizza. I don't get paid time off, so I just tell them when I am on vacation and they adjust the schedule.

Now, I started a new career as a phlebotomist in a hospital. I was hired per diem in January. That was great, because I only worked when they needed me to, and at my convenience. A few weeks ago, my boss promoted me to part-time. I now earn vacation time and sick time. It also means I have to put in for time off, and it is based on seniority. I understand that. Here is what I am nervous about..... my supervisor explained there is no 1st come, 1st serve for vacation requests. It is 100% seniority. Which means, I could put in for my week off in November now, but if someone comes along in October and wants that same week, and they have more seniority than me, they will get it. The only rule is you have to submit your vacation request 30 days out. So as long as they have their request in before the 30 day mark, they are entitled to it.

I think that's crappy. My sister works for another hospital, and they have what they call "high seasons" for vacations. In Feb or March, the vacation calendar goes around starting with the highest seniority. Two employees are allowed out each week. They fill in the weeks they want for the summer months. So as it works down the list, the lower seniority people know what weeks are available for them to make their plans.

I don't like that I can book a trip to Disney a year out, and one month before my trip, I could be told I can't get the week off, because someone higher than me decided to take that same week off.

Does this happen anywhere else? Now I am going to stress for the next 5 months. I put my slip in, but I am going to worry that someone is going to decide they need to take a week to clean their house for the Thanksgiving holiday. They'll decide that in October.

Makes me want to go back to being per diem.

That sounds really crappy. I can see senority if 2 people put in for the same week at the same time but after it's been approved??? That's terrible. How could you ever make any plans knowing you could be bumped at any time?

 

[mill4023]

That's horrible.

They are making it so you can't plan any vacation more than 30 days out unless you are the person with the very highest priority. It's completely ridiculous.

I can see giving priority to those with more seniority, but only if they have to assert that priority farther in advance so everyone knows what time they can and can't have.

I would personally be looking for another job.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I've worked many different places (banks/credit unions, to insurance companies, to law firms, etc.) with vacation and I've never heard of it being done like that. That is really crappy if that's how it works!!

 

[msjprincess]

That's crazy

It goes by seniority at my job. But vacation requests have to be in by April. You can choose to "float" a week, but then you take your chances on what's left. you can't decide in July that you want to take a week in August and bump someone that already has that week.

 

[bettymae1121]

That's pretty bad!

There is trip cancelation insurance you can buy that is "cancel for any reason". It's expensive as far as trip insurance goes, but that's what you may have to do if you want to actually travel on your vacations. You could just insure your airline tickets, and then only book hotel, car rentals, etc. that fully refundable if you have to cancel. You could hold off on park passes until you clear the 30 day mark (if going on a Disney vacation). It might cost a bit more and take some careful planning but there ARE ways of getting around this.

My company leaves it to the individual division supervisors to work out. My division is only three people including my supervisor. Basicly she runs it first come first serve, but with only three people who all get along, it's rarely an issue. Usually before one of us takes a popular time (right around the 4th, for example) well ask the other's if they need it off before we sign up for it.

 

[SingingMUA]

Reading these stories makes me remember how grateful I am for the leave policy here at my job. Vacation time is never denied, so you never have to "ask permission", per se, to be off... You just enter your leave into the online system, and then let your supervisor know that you will be taking leave.

I have never been told that I could not be off when I planned a trip. Nor has anyone else here. Most people (well the admin staff... some of the interpreters who work here do whatever they want) put their vacation time in pretty well in advance. At least a month or two in advance. So, it's not really a surprise when admin folks are out on leave.

 

[Dismagic1]

Hmm that's terrible. All I have to do is send an email announcing my departure and return date and that's the end of that.

 

[Dismagic1]

I've worked many different places (banks/credit unions, to insurance companies, to law firms, etc.) with vacation and I've never heard of it being done like that. That is really crappy if that's how it works!!

how did the vacation time work when you modeled?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

how did the vacation time work when you modeled?

Flattery will get you everywhere

 

[ilovediznee]

I also work at a hospital and started last September. Our hospital policy is that no one can be denied leave if they have accured it, but the area does have to be covered. Me being the supervisor would have to be here if both my employees were off the same time.

I told them when I started that I already had time off last December so they knew upfront. I also had a boss at my other job who didn't understand, until I told him, that I can and do book my Disney trips a year in advance.

Do you feel comfortable enough to just set up a meeting with your supervisor and say that you understand the policy, but had you known that, you would have told them sooner so you followed the rules? You might get some headway by approaching it that way.

Another thing is to check with Human Resources as well. It clearly states in our guidelines that vacation cannot be denied so who made that rule - your boss or the hospital?

I am going to subscribe to this thread to see how it turns out, but I would personally meet with them and be upfront about the fact you would have told him or her that when you got promoted if you were told!

Good Luck - Diane

 

[Dismagic1]

Flattery will get you everywhere

 

[JoiseyMom]

I also work at a hospital and started last September. Our hospital policy is that no one can be denied leave if they have accured it, but the area does have to be covered. Me being the supervisor would have to be here if both my employees were off the same time.

I told them when I started that I already had time off last December so they knew upfront. I also had a boss at my other job who didn't understand, until I told him, that I can and do book my Disney trips a year in advance.

Do you feel comfortable enough to just set up a meeting with your supervisor and say that you understand the policy, but had you known that, you would have told them sooner so you followed the rules? You might get some headway by approaching it that way.

Another thing is to check with Human Resources as well. It clearly states in our guidelines that vacation cannot be denied so who made that rule - your boss or the hospital?

I am going to subscribe to this thread to see how it turns out, but I would personally meet with them and be upfront about the fact you would have told him or her that when you got promoted if you were told!

Good Luck - Diane

ITA..

When I worked retail (Staples) we weren't allowed to take off during back to school or Xmas...or black Friday. Well when I was interviewing I told the asst mgr that I could only work while my kids were in school. So I was off at the end of August and Xmas, and black Friday. Store MGR was not happy...LOL. But heck...he approved my hiring..I guess he and the Asst Mgr didn't discuss it. But being part time, I had no sick days or vaca days.. and if they had to cut hours...guess who's hours were cut..so I didn't mind too much.

The summer we were doing a 17 day vacation, and then I had time before the kids went back to school, so it was 3 weeks. I had had enough of the job at that point and just gave my notice...I am sure the MGR would have when I would have been gone for over 3 weeks!! LOL....

 

[bicker]

Seniority is a pretty fair way of doing things. 30 days notice does seem a little extreme -- I would think that it would be more fair to require three or even four months notice... still not "enough" to address vacations to WDW, but the fact that WDW requires such long planning in advance shouldn't deprive senior members of staff, who are aiming to vacation in other places, the primacy they deserve.

 

[CF'er]

We are required to give 30 days notice. If more people want off than the sched can acomodate then it goes in order of request. For some reason we have several people taking the last week in July off and as a result there can be no more requests as our lab would be empty.

If you need off with less than 30 days notice you need to find your own coverage and most of the time it CAN NOT be filled by someone getting overtime. That isn't always easy to do either as we are short staffed and work most of our PRN's close to full time.

I would go talk to your boss and explain the situation to him/her. That may be all that's needed. If that doesn't work I would then inquire if this was a "lab policy" or a "hospital policy" and then take it to HR.