Question about taking time off from work....

[DMickey28]

Thanks ahead for the help. I am unsure how companies deal with things like this...

I am starting a new job on Monday. I will be working as an hourly employee with benefits. This is a Claims Adjuster in the health field.

The interview process was rather odd and there was no point in which to interject our wedding and such. This is my question...

Due to the time of my hiring I will have 7 days of vacation accured until December 2004. Three floating holidays and I am unsure about sick time.

Our wedding is October 11, 2004 and we are going to be gone for two weeks plus the Friday before and the Monday after so....12 days total of work. We are also scheduled to go home in May over mermorial day weekend for our wedding shower and all that fun stuff at home....(our family is in MA we are in IN) I would need to take Wed, Thurs and Fri off that week. So total I need to take fifteen days off this year.... rarely get sick but need to take that into account....

How would a company deal with that? As I said, I feel as though I should have mentioned it but there was no time and there has been no contact with the company since my hire a month ago. Could go in on Monday and state all this up front and that it has all be planned in the time since the interview....

I have no problem taking the time unpaid, would prefer it rather than borrow time, but am unsure if companies do this. What is your thoughts or experience in this?

The company is a large nationwide Health Insurance company....

Also How should I approach this.. I would like to cover it first chance I get on Monday!!

Thanks!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would talk to them ASAP and let them know the situation. Perhaps you can ask if they have "comp" time or something like it to make up some hours. That would especially be important for the first absence. I agree that you should have brought this up on your own in the interview, but that opportunity is past now, so make the most of it, and offer to work some extra hours to make up for some days. It might take most of the year to do it, but offering a constructive solution rather than just posing the problem, might work to your advantage.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Whew, that is a lot of questions.

Having been a hiring manager and a supervisor, I prefer this be told up front. SInce you didn't get to talk about it in the interview, you really need to talk with you supervisor about it as soon as possible. I have no idea what your companies policies are, but where I used to work, the associates got a certain amount of vacation time, personal time and floating holidays. NO Sick time. Everything had to be scheduled, and due to the type of work and the number of people, no 2 people were supposed to be off at the same time. If you had been hired into my group today and came on Monday with the time off requests, I would have to look at the schedules and the anticipated work load, before I could answer you. I think you are putting your new company and supoervisor in a bad position, and if they say no, you may be forced to resign. It is unfortunate, but in this time of fewer jobs available, a company needs to hire employees who will come to work as expected, and if you are unable to meet your commitment to that, they can no doubt find someone else who can.

Good luck.

 

[Growin'upDisney]

You should definitely talk to them sooner rather than later. Maybe calling them now would be better than waiting for your first day. 15 days off of work in the next 7 months is quite a bit, especially since you will only accrue 7 days by December. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be able to take the time off without pay. Since it is a large company, hopefully there would be someone to cover your workload. If not, then there might be a problem.

I interviewed for a job knowing that after 4 weeks of work I had a 1 week acation scheduled. But I mentioned that in the interview.

Good luck and congratulations.

 

[jel0511]

I agree that you should talk to your new supervisior ASAP about this. Some companies have freeze periods in which you are not allowed to take ANY time off, regardless of reason. At my sister's company, you are freezed for 6 months before you can take any time off, paid or unpaid. Sick leave is different, but if you do get sick during this probationary period, you need a dr's note to back it up. Now, it does all depend on the company and your supervisior. DH got a new job three months before we got married, but told them during the interview process about our honeymoon. They weren't happy about it, but gave DH the time off. If he had waited until he walked in the door, and not done it before, it would have been MUCH easier for them to say no then, and DH and I would have been up the creek. If this job is very important to you, you may have to change some plans if they aren't very flexible, which they don't have to be at all. It is your responsibility to bring these type of issues up during interviewing and before you accepted the position. Not for them to ask if you have any vacation plans.

 

[DMickey28]

Thank you for the responses.... keep them coming please.

I think i am going to email the HR women that hired me today to give her a heads up. As I said the interview process was rather odd and there wasn't time or a chance to bring this up. The way I look at it is that it's my wedding and that I am more than willing to take the time unpaid and it's a large work group....if it meant that I would have to resign (which I think is a bit much) that is what I would do. Who knows though.... Also October is a long time away so there is plenty of time to work it out....

 

[MICKEY88]

I would call rather than emailing, it would make the communication process a lot easier.

yes your wedding is important, but they hired you with the expectation that you would be working..you have to see it from their side also..

I've seen people lose jobs for taking less time off of new jobs..
it would have been best if you had mentioned this during the interview..I know some employers who would look at this situation in a very negative way. they would think that you intentionally with held info to get the job..

if you tell them you planned this since the interview, they will wonder why you would make plans to take off time that you haven't earned yet, that would seem that you don't care about company policy...

I would call them as soon as possible, tell them that you wanted to mention this during the interview but there didn't seem to be an opening to bring it up, ask them if there's any way you can work things out..

if they say it's not possible, then you have 2 choices..resign,,or change your plans,

if they won't work with you, stay calm, resign nicely...you never know when they may have another job opening or if you might go for a job elsewhere and find out that someone who was formerly with that company is now with the new company...

 

[ByTheSea]

I agree with the other posters who said contact the HR/person who hired you right away.

But I would email rather than call, so have written documentation.

Hopefully there will be no conflict but be prepared. What if the week of your wedding is a huge important business conference that is mandatory? Prepare for the possibility that they will have a problem with the time off, paid or unpaid. But hopefully it will be no problem, just be sure to get it documentated if they do approve the time off, better safe than sorry.

 

[jel0511]

I just re-read your post and noticed that you said you'd earn 7 vacation days by the end of the year, not much considering you'd be starting around mid-March. That seems like you'd earn 10 days in a normal year, along with the 3 personals you stated. You also want to take MORE time off then you'd earn in a regular full year when you just started a job. Personally, I think you're asking for too much and to assume that they wouldn't really care about it isn't a good way to deal with it. I also agree that you should phone them and not e-mail them.

 

[MICKEY88]

I would call rather than emailing...email correspondence can be very time consuming when there are questions involved, as for having something in writing,

I would get it in writing not in email..email can be altered so easily..plus realistically, even if you have it in writing, they could change their mind in the future and if you're in a probationary period, you would have no grounds to fight there decision..

there are so may possible scenarios here..what of current employees have vacation scheduled for then etc....

the best you can do is call ASAP and throw yourself at there mercy..

 

[ead79]

I was fortunate in that my former company let me take some unpaid days off for my wedding (I also used the rest of my vacation time, I used 4 unpaid days). It was a small company though, so they were able to be a bit more flexible. However, I had already worked there over a year when I took the time off. You might be able to negotiate for the wedding time off, but I'm not sure about the time off to go home for wedding activities. I would try to get the wedding time off first, obviously. Good luck!

 

[Bob NC]

Originally posted by DMickey28
I think i am going to email the HR women that hired me today to give her a heads up.

A heads up? What may seem like a simple 'heads up' to you may be far, far more significant to the company you hope to work for.

I have been in management, responsible for hiring & supervising. I hate to tell you this but if it were me doing the hiring, I may very well tell you we've changed our mind and rescind the job offer. Each employee is not in a vacuum....Morale of existing and long term employees is very important....Not many employees might understand why the "new person" gets 1/2 a month off in the first year. Back when I interviewed for my current position, I informed them first thing about my vacation plans for the upcoming year. Everything was ok, but I would completely understand if they took me out of the running.

 

[DMickey28]

Well I emailed the woman that hired me and explained everything. I also left her a voicemail message so that we could discuss it. Keep in mind this is a huge company and large department, not just me and a few other people working. We are also a newer department just being set up. Don't know what sort of difference that makes if any.

The last job I worked for I told them when I started, not the interview process, about vacation time and there was no problem. I understand the hardship it could pose to a department and mentioned that in the email. I do not exsist in a vacuum and don't believe that I couldn't not be easily replaced but I do know that for this position I am very valued, especially here.

I offered alternatives. I honestly think that if I was working at a company for a long time and new employee came in a took 1/2 month off within the first year, I would not be miffed. I dont see why it matters if the work load can be covered and if they don't get paid... doesn't make sense to me, but maybe i am just too simple for corporate america. I like to and will live my life according to my families needs not some job.... and though the economy may be tough I have not had a problem getting a job since I graduated college a few years ago.

Sorry if this is at all harsh or anything. I don't mean it that way, I just feel that sometimes things or people are so negative. It's a wedding for crying out loud. No one will rain on that parade for me....

 

[Duchie]

I've been in management for a while. While I completely understand your situation, I've got to agree with the other posters. 15 days is a rather large amount of time for a new employee. In these situations I was generally willing to work with the person, but I would not have been able to double someone's paid time off.

You've got a tough decision ahead of you. Contacting them right now is the right solution. But if they tell you the days off are not flexible, then you'll need to decide if you can shave a few days off of your vacation time, or politely resign. I'm sure they understand completely how important your wedding is to you. But you've also got to understand that they must keep the business running and consider the morale of the other employees.

I wish you luck!

 

[MICKEY88]

I don't think anyone is trying to rain on your parade, I know I'm just speaking from almost 30 years of experience in the working world and things I've seen done from the employer viewpoint..

that's the way I took all the other replies, people just rying to help by pointing out the employers perspective..

I honestly think that if I was working at a company for a long time and new employee came in a took 1/2 month off within the first year, I would not be miffed.

this is honorable of you ,, but a lot of people would be upset if this happened in their workplace,,

try to look at it from this perspective..imagine working somewhere for 20 years, you have used up your vacation time for the year..all of a sudden the opportunity of a lifetime comes up to go somewhere you've always wanted to go..all expenses paid. your employer won't give you the time off because you've used your vacation time...2 weeks later a new employee starts and is given 15 days off without earning it...

or what happens if they give you the time, and then other employees start asking for more time than they have coming...how can the employer say no to them..//

I personally hope they will work with you and you have the best wedding possible,

but looking at the situation with an open mind,

I think you must prepare yourself for the possibility that they might not

 

[robsmom]

You are doing the right thing to contact HR and talk about the situation. Start with an attitude of that this is what you were "hoping" to do, not what you were planning to do. Be honest about what was/is scheduled when. do you have airline tickets booked that you can't reschedule or so other pre-paid plans. If yes, include that in your discussion, just as reference. (e.g., prior to realizing that I was switching jobs, I booked a 2 week honeymoon and have found that i can't change it, etc.). Try to separate what you want to do from what you have already committed to. You may get lucky and they have a leave with out pay policy that can be used at a manager's discrection. Since you are hourly, it may be as simple as you have no hours in a given week, don't report them on your timesheet and don't get paid. But keep in mind that if you get benefits you are costing them money even if you don't get paid for a week. So that said, be prepared to compromise. Maybe you really can't get it down to 7 days but you don't "need" 5 days for the shower. Maybe you just need one. Perhaps you have to take a one week honeymoon instead of two, etc. I think if you needed a few extra days for your wedding you would be able to work that out, but twice your alottment might be tough.

 

[Bob NC]

Originally posted by DMickey28
Sorry if this is at all harsh or anything. I don't mean it that way, I just feel that sometimes things or people are so negative. It's a wedding for crying out loud. No one will rain on that parade for me....

Hold on a second.....You DID ask, right?

Originally posted by DMickey28
How would a company deal with that?

That was your question. I answered honestly with what I would do when I was managing 120 employees in a large national company.

 

[dcgrumpy]

I honestly think that if I was working at a company for a long time and new employee came in a took 1/2 month off within the first year, I would not be miffed. I dont see why it matters if the work load can be covered and if they don't get paid

I think you may be in the minority. I work for a large corporation where all that counts is your seniority. I can't tell you how many times senior people have come to me and questioned why so and so got those hours or a vacation day when they have such low seniority. I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you.

 

[caitycaity]

where i work it would not be a big deal. as a matter of fact, i took 3 weeks off for my wedding/honeymoon 4 months after starting. my boss even threw my a shower. i took the time i had not accrued as unpaid leave. however, i did bring it up to my boss as soon as i was hired. i think you need to talk to someone about it ASAP.

 

[DMickey28]

Bob NC ~ I did ask and I appreciate every and all responses!

I, too, have managed 100+ people in the past. It's not an easy world, however that is why you are the manager. None of the companies I have worked for or interviewed with would have a problem with taking unpaid leave. I was just asking for a mass opinion as obviously the few companies I have worked for are a few out of thousands. (and I am beginning to think the minority which is scarey)

I think that rescinding a job offer to a very qualified applicate due to needing some extra days off six months in the future is a bit harsh. As much as there may be a job shortage, there is a shortage of educated, qualified applicants for many fields (mine being one of them). Other than the wedding time, I have rarely called in sick for work, infact the last time I have done that was in 1999 working for WDW. Having my background in the restaurant business where you can't call in tends to do that to you. I will do anything and all that is asked of me and am often viewed as the person that will work the extra shift that no one else will. If a company was to turn someone away because they were getting married six months after the start of employement and needed more than the traditional week off due to circumstances (the honeymoon is not two weeks) then I can comfortably say I wouldn't want to work there. I am comfretable in that thought and decision so I will let the chips fall where they may.

Again Thank you for all the responses, I do appreciate them.