The U.S. taken another beating in the other thread re our societal and corporate attitudes re vacation/personal time off.
I feel like a bit of a fraud to join in that pity party.
I didn't get much the first year back to work but after 1 yr I earned approx 2 1/2 weeks/year and then since my 5 year anniversary, I take three 1 week long vacations and several long weekends per year. This on top of a good income and excellent working conditions. Several of my coworkers have taken 2 weeks without any hoopla for their big vacations but being a single mom I can't afford to take my kids on vacation to Europe, one a week at a time works best for us. If I talked to my manager about needing to take a month next year, they would try to make it work.
I had my babies back in the days of nurses not easy to replace and so my maternity time off was only limited to our financial planning, or lack thereof. I had some sick/PTO time plus my 6-8 weeks of SDI, if my then husband and I had planned better ie if he had a work ethic, I could have taken off as much as I wanted and there would have been a job for me. As it was I took those 6-8 weeks off without blinking.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
In the UK you used to be and may still be able to take a break from your job and your job is safe as long as a certain criteria is used. I knew someone that took initially 6 months and extended it another 6 months and went to work in Australia as well as visit a few places. Came back after a year to her job with no issues
I think too many people here feel entitled. I have worked nearly 5 years and called in sick 1 day. I was in the ER that morning. I think my cumulative days-off (vacation taken) during those 5 years was probably less than 20 working days, as well. We only work 1/2 the week, typically, in the hospital setting (my situation), and just don't see what the fuss is. We have PLENTY of time off!
(accrued 170 hours of vacation that's left over for this year. I think I took 3-5 shifts off, maybe?)
I think too many people here feel entitled. I have worked nearly 5 years and called in sick 1 day. I was in the ER that morning. I think my cumulative days-off (vacation taken) during those 5 years was probably less than 20 working days, as well. We only work 1/2 the week, typically, in the hospital setting (my situation), and just don't see what the fuss is. We have PLENTY of time off!
(accrued 170 hours of vacation that's left over for this year. I think I took 3-5 shifts off, maybe?)
Having benefits is not being entitled. Nurses may work 3 days , but that still comes close to 40 hours a week like other professions. So we have the same right to benefits like somebody else.
Also life as a professional is not like elementary school, we are not trying to win the President's award for not absences. If you are sick, you take a day off work, and if you need a break from work you use some vacation time. Simple as that...
Having benefits is not being entitled. Nurses may work 3 days , but that still comes close to 40 hours a week like other professions. So we have the same right to benefits like somebody else.
Also life as a professional is not like elementary school, we are not trying to win the President's award for not absences. If you are sick, you take a day off work, and if you need a break from work you use some vacation time. Simple as that...
I guess I just don't see it that way. My employer expects me to be there, and I expect to be there. When I had to go to the ER, I called in that day as laying in bed my pulse was still over 100 (typically 60-70), and I felt very weak. I could not have performed my job duties.
If I can perform them, I will be there. I just wasn't raised to shirk my duties because I felt a bit under the weather.
As regards vacation time, well, it's a double edged sword there. It hurt my paycheck, so I avoided using it. If it paid as well as being at work, I might have used more.
That said, any time you are scheduled and call in, it really puts a bind on co-workers. I dislike doing that unless I am truly ill. For me, truly ill means a white count over 15K, or unstable vitals (like my pulse being over 100 just laying in bed and being symptomatic).
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
As regards vacation time, well, it's a double edged sword there. It hurt my paycheck, so I avoided using it. If it paid as well as being at work, I might have used more.
I don't understand what this means. Your PTO is not paid at the same rate as your hourly? Or are you referring to shift differential?
That said, any time you are scheduled and call in, it really puts a bind on co-workers. I dislike doing that unless I am truly ill. For me, truly ill means a white count over 15K, or unstable vitals (like my pulse being over 100 just laying in bed and being symptomatic).
And if you go into work with an infection you are just passing it on to your colleagues, it's bad enough when patients arrive and cough all over me (I work in an ED) but when my co-workers do it then something has to be said.
Don't think I am bashing you, I'm not, as I and most of the people I work with always try to get into work - it's called being a professional, as you are aware - but you are doing yourself no favours by forcing yourself into work when you are unwell. If you are sub-par then what is your care going to be? You are no more thought of by your managers for struggling in.
Scheduled benefitted vacation time is entirely different than frequent or fabricated sick calls.
I am very anti mental health day or passive aggressive call outs. Using your accrued PTO may avoid that.
I recently took two separate pre approved weeks during a crunch time and I had pangs of loyalty pulling me to stay in the trenches, but others were involved in these planned well in advance weeks so I attoned by making sure I came back rested and ready to perform.
I guess I just don't see it that way. My employer expects me to be there, and I expect to be there. When I had to go to the ER, I called in that day as laying in bed my pulse was still over 100 (typically 60-70), and I felt very weak. I could not have performed my job duties.
If I can perform them, I will be there. I just wasn't raised to shirk my duties because I felt a bit under the weather.
As regards vacation time, well, it's a double edged sword there. It hurt my paycheck, so I avoided using it. If it paid as well as being at work, I might ).
Also, yes, I work 84 hours every 2 weeks.
There is nothing wrong with working hard, even if a little under the weather. As long as this doesn't jeopardize, your health, the health of the patients, or your coworkers.
However I dont agree that time off has to be seen as a blessing or a burden. It is a method of retaining qualified staff. Workers are not servants, and should have a right to rest. .
I think too many people here feel entitled. I have worked nearly 5 years and called in sick 1 day. I was in the ER that morning. I think my cumulative days-off (vacation taken) during those 5 years was probably less than 20 working days, as well. We only work 1/2 the week, typically, in the hospital setting (my situation), and just don't see what the fuss is. We have PLENTY of time off!
(accrued 170 hours of vacation that's left over for this year. I think I took 3-5 shifts off, maybe?)
Wow! Do you get to carry over all of that unused PTO? We are only allowed to carry over 40 hours, beyond that it's use it or lose it. It definitely encourages us to actually take our earned time off instead of throwing away the time.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I do not think having an expectation to be able to use your accrued leave is "entitled." Your PTO is part of your benefits package, it's part of your compensation. Not being able to use my accrued leave would be as unfair as being told I'm getting paid $30/hour, and then only getting paid $25/hour.
I think too many people here feel entitled. I have worked nearly 5 years and called in sick 1 day. I was in the ER that morning. I think my cumulative days-off (vacation taken) during those 5 years was probably less than 20 working days, as well. We only work 1/2 the week, typically, in the hospital setting (my situation), and just don't see what the fuss is. We have PLENTY of time off!
(accrued 170 hours of vacation that's left over for this year. I think I took 3-5 shifts off, maybe?)
PTO is a form of compensation. It's not being entitled to use it. Many employers have caps on PTO so once you get to the cap, you stop accruing and basically you are saying it's ok for your employer to pay you less. When I worked in the hospital, our cap was 1.5x our annual accrual and then it was lowered to 1.25x our annual accrual. When they made this change, I had slightly more than 1.25x my annual accrual in my bank which my employer immediately took away from me and put into an "extended sick leave" bank, that I could only use if I had to go out on short term disability and that they didn't have to pay out when I left. This was time that I had EARNED and because I didn't use it quickly enough, they took it from me, put it somewhere where I couldn't use it and it was worth several hundred dollars.
I use every hour of PTO I'm given. I've only been home from my last vacation for 2 weeks and I already booked the next one. There is nothing to be gained by leaving this time unused.
Silverdragon102, BSN
1 Article; 39,477 Posts
In the UK you used to be and may still be able to take a break from your job and your job is safe as long as a certain criteria is used. I knew someone that took initially 6 months and extended it another 6 months and went to work in Australia as well as visit a few places. Came back after a year to her job with no issues