I have been at my job for 5 years and as a result I now earn more vacation each pay period. I only take about a week at a time once or twice a year and I make provisions for my duties to be covered by spreading it around to several people so no one person is put out. I also take several some long weekends, 1 or 2 days at a time. When I do that I don't ask anyone to take over my duties and I just double up on my work before and after the time off.
I work with several people who never take vacation and then complain at the end of the year that they are going to lose vacation time. Our company does allow us to roll over quite a bit of vacation time each year but I don't like to accrue weeks of vacation time. I like to take it. I do keep about a week of vacation time in reserve for emergencies but otherwise I take my vacation time. I figure if they are going to give it to me I am going to take it.
Here is the problem. I took a week off the end of January. I am taking a week off the beginning of June. Last month I asked to take off the day before Memorial Day weekend. My boss acted like it was a big deal and said I needed to check with my coworkers to make sure they didn't want that time off. Well, they are supposed to put in a request for time off and I figure first come first serve. But I did go and ask and sure anough no one was wanting off at that time. She approved the request.
Now I am asking for 1-2 days in July. I checked the board where vacations are posted and no one was taking any time in July off. I asked her about it and again she made a big deal about it and said I needed to check with them. I just don't understand why I have to make sure someone else is not considering taking off work and just has not put in the request yet. I figure if they wanted that time off they would have already put in a request. I did ask and no one is wanting off then or at least they don't know if they are. I have not put in my request yet until I talk to my husband but it really gets under my skin that I have to make sure someone else didn't want that day.
Should I be upset about this? Anyone else run into this? I mean, they give us so many hours of vacation time per pay period and mine has recently increased. I feel that it is a benefit they want me to take. I don't abuse this. I take a day here and there ever couple of months. Before the January trip I don't believe I had taken off but maybe one day since last summer. So it is not like I take off time every month.
Hmmm. I get 5 weeks vacation. I plan in advance. If there is a time period important to me, I make sure I submit it as early as possible for planning purposes.
I try to assist my boss to make sure there is adequate coverage, when I am just burning days. We have a lot of paid holidays as well, so lots of time off. Some of my annual would roll to sick, but I have over a year of sick, so it's not helping anyone to let it accumulate, and not take annual. No one expects us to 'lose it' although some is use or lose.
I do usually poll my office mates before submitting days to assure that I am not burning time when someone else has something special planned, as I am the most senior and if both requests submitted on the same day, mine would take precedence.
Also, if something comes up, I can almost always reschedule if I haven't bought a ticket, rented something nonrefundable, etc.
Although it is no one else's business, courtesy goes a long way in creating a good working environment. Being somewhat flexible is always appreciated as is long range planning (in my office).
Perhaps your boss has a fear of committing the time to you, even though you may have earned it. Some people are not comfortable in their roles and may fear that approving leave will leave them in a bind in some way that is not forseeable in the present moment. Maybe last minute works better for them. I prefer that my people use their time and relax so that they are happy and productive when at work.
Last minute (vacation planning) doesn't work for me. My profession itself makes me have to respond to many emergencies and last minute requests. So planned vacations for myself and my coworkers are high on my priority list. Just makes for keeping things running on as even a keel as possible, rather then having to rearrange responsibilities on a last minute basis.
Is she supposed to just keep adding days and never take them? Or if she earns 4-5 weeks per year (which is what these vacation days would equal for half a year), is she only really supposed to take 2?
