PTO Time .

[coolerifyoudid]

"Can you put me down for these days? Nobody else is off." Ask, but don't leave room for reason to deny the time requested. Pretty simple, IMO.

I'd always go with courtesy first. Every workplace environment is different, but there are definitely some bosses that would not respond well to being told when their employee won't be in. Why give someone that can fire you a reason to feel disrespected?

 

[C.John]

Before submitting my requests I have to touch base with my Ops manager to make sure certain other managers aren't already off. There are a couple that would fill in for me when I'm off and there are two depts that I cover when they're off.
Other than that we generally run a 24 hr request window though we do submit preferred week long requests in January for the hot ticket weeks (Xmas/4th July etc) then it's first come first served.

 

[cyfanatic13]

Is PTO time like a PIN number?

Yeah, it's just like the PIN number that you would use at an ATM machine

 

[Tre4ISU]

Usually in the months of March, April and May, we aren't taking vacation but other than that, I'm pretty fortunate in that you basically just let the proper people know when you're not going to be around and no one really asks much for questions. If it's rainy on a Friday in June, I'll fill out our form and shoot and email off saying I'm leaving at noon. I've been talked to a lot more about not using all of it than I have about being careless about using it.

 

[octaviouspoon]

Don't show up then ask for forgiveness later.

 

[madguy30]

Mine has to get approved when I submit for it...so basically I'm letting them know through that. I have the option of putting in a specific reason as well to clarify why I'm taking it off.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I always ask but haven't ever been denied. I am bad at waiting until the last minute, but I always make sure that everything is accounted for. I really try to take PTO at the most convenient times for our workflow.

 

[sunnysideup]

At my workplace you have to give 24 hour notice (or at least by the end of the prior work day) that you will be taking the next day off. If you don't give notice and you call off it's an occurrence and you only get so many of those within a calendar year before you get put on on some sort of probation and then possibly fired. So yes, if I know I am going to be out ahead of time, I let my manager know. Plus we have a team calendar and if a certain date has too many people taking the day off it won't be approved. In which case that also would be an occurrence if you decided to still take it anyway.

 

[tzjung]

Accruing time maxes out at 40 hrs without needing approval? To me that seems regressive.

Nope, that's not what I meant! I meant that anyone can use as much of their accrued PTO bank as they want, but our HR only allows you to burn up to 40 hrs past your existing bank of time. That 40 hrs would have to be earned back to get the PTO bank back to 0 hrs. Hope.. that makes sense.

 

[cyadict]

My work is a little more complicated when it comes to getting time off. We have to submit our time off in December for the entire upcoming calendar year. Not only that, but its entirely based on seniority. If you try to get time off later in the year, chances are that somebody else already has it locked up.

 

[CycloneErik]

My work is a little more complicated when it comes to getting time off. We have to submit our time off in December for the entire upcoming calendar year. Not only that, but its entirely based on seniority. If you try to get time off later in the year, chances are that somebody else already has it locked up.

We did that in my factory job, though you could change it later if things developed.
On my team, I had seniority, so I could do what I wanted. On my original team, our most senior person took the entire month of December off, and nothing during the year. Nobody else could get time off in December, and we were all tired of that person by their vacation time.

 

[MeanDean]

Like my Dad always said, "I get 52 days off a year, my 26 and my boss's 26."

 

[DeereClone]

I personally think it would be weird to ask for a day off - it is clearly written in the contract how many days I have off. I let the boss/entire office know about a week ahead of time so they can plan.

 

[pfgemployee]

I can't wait until my employer moves to FTO next year. It's going to be a complete nightmare that pretty much rewards ****** employees and dumps on everyone else.

 

[Mr Janny]

I personally think it would be weird to ask for a day off - it is clearly written in the contract how many days I have off. I let the boss/entire office know about a week ahead of time so they can plan.

Depending on your industry, a week's notice may simply not be enough notice for time off, especially if you need to be gone for more than just a day or two.

If something came up on relatively short notice, and I needed to be gone for a single day, a week would be alright, but if all of my PTO requests came with only a week's notice, I would expect that my director would start to asking me for more.

Also, as others have stated, it totally depends on how your employer is set up. Some places have policies on how PTO requests need to be made. Others are a much looser setup.

 

[Entropy]

I have to get approval from my supervisor, but he's pretty good about it. As long as I have things covered and it's for a satisfactory reason. I give a reason because of the time off I do get between semesters.

 

[DeereClone]

Depending on your industry, a week's notice may simply not be enough notice for time off, especially if you need to be gone for more than just a day or two.

If something came up on relatively short notice, and I needed to be gone for a single day, a week would be alright, but if all of my PTO requests came with only a week's notice, I would expect that my director would start to asking me for more.

Also, as others have stated, it totally depends on how your employer is set up. Some places have policies on how PTO requests need to be made. Others are a much looser setup.

Agree. I have friends that work in manufacturing that need to give month's notice, so they can make sure to fill their place on the line and keep the factory moving. 98% of the time I have complete freedom and full reign over my schedule, and while I am gone the work piles up for me to do when I get back vs someone else covering for me while I am gone.

 

[stormchaser2014]

 

[stormchaser2014]

My boss asks me if I need time off.

 

[CyForPresident]

So for the people who ask, what do you say for a reason when you just don't want to be at work?

"I'm gonna sit around on the couch and watch Family Guy all day. Can I have Friday off please?"