PTO not in the budget for remainder of year

2BS Nurse, BSN · Nov 10, 2019

I would hope previously scheduled and paid for vacations are excluded from this rule!

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Nov 10, 2019

3 hours ago, caliotter3 said:
When I was in one of my periods of protracted unemployment, I foolishly attended a job fair. I approached a booth from one of the fast food companies and spoke to the representatives. They treated me with derision when they told me they were there to talk to applicants interested in "management" positions with the firm. I can assure you that I would not have been wasting my time at a job fair if I were seeking "management". It is nice to state one can be picky when one is gainfully employed and can pick up what they want when they want. Not all nurses are in that category, particularly those who have reached a certain "age". I have only walked out of a job offer one time due to being lowballed. That was because after decades of seeking nursing work, I know that sooner or later unemployment is around the corner anyway. That does not denigrate my comments or my perspective, shared by those who probably don't bother to comment on this site.

I realize you gotta do what you gotta do. Perhaps I should have said that the aforementioned employer actions would have spurred me to put every spare moment and resource I had to developing a plan to get the hell out of Dodge post haste. Just leaving a job willy-nilly in a snit has a high risk of leaving oneself with bite marks on the buttocks...

LovingLife123 · Nov 10, 2019

PTO is your compensation. It should already be budgeted in. If they are telling you there’s a problem with the budget, I’d leave. That’s not a good sign of things to come.

What kind of facility is this?

RNperdiem, RN · Nov 10, 2019

I agree with the others. Start looking around at the local jobs available. Your facility sounds like it is having serious financial problems. If they should close, you don't want to be unprepared.

caliotter3 · Nov 10, 2019

On 11/9/2019 at 9:30 AM, Elaine M said:
Yeah, nightshifters get screwed there. I worked a couple places where the July 4 holiday was considered the night of the 3rd, so that's when we got holiday pay. The night of the 4th wasn't holiday pay. Guess who was off the 3rd and worked the 4th a couple times?!?

On more than one occasion my employers have cancelled my night shift that went across a holiday and gave the shift to someone else who collected the holiday pay. Strange that I was able to figure out where I stood with those employers!

Nunya, BSN · Nov 11, 2019

3 hours ago, caliotter3 said:
On more than one occasion my employers have cancelled my night shift that went across a holiday and gave the shift to someone else who collected the holiday pay. Strange that I was able to figure out where I stood with those employers!

I'd be talking to HR about that one...

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Nov 11, 2019

On 11/9/2019 at 7:24 PM, erniefu said:
Companies usually budget for PTO so it wouldn't be a liability for vacation owing. That your manager denies your earned PTO means there are cash flow issues. This is just the beginning of more cuts and you should be prepared for the worst.

This. Look out for other worrying signs. Supply shortages, loss of coffee in the break room, limiting of overtime. If you start seeing payroll being late or missing overtime RUN the whole thing is going under!

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2019

On 11/8/2019 at 2:04 PM, Lurkndmurk said:
Not at my work place, we do have times where we cant use PTO because theres not enough staff OR too many people are using PTO at once. This year, just during the one week after xmas, no PTO gets approved because the direct supervisor is taking that week off. But thats just for one week & doesnt effect me...
My last job wouldnt even consider PTO for the holidays because they cant make it 'fair' to everyone, so they just said NO TIME OFF for the week before, of & after thanksgiving + xmas

In reality, some people do get time off, at least in my experience. Hypocrisy, favoritism, the world of work.

caliotter3 · Nov 11, 2019

3 hours ago, Alex Egan said:
This. Look out for other worrying signs. Supply shortages, loss of coffee in the break room, limiting of overtime. If you start seeing payroll being late or missing overtime RUN the whole thing is going under!

I worked at two LTC facilities where stories from the past about mad rushes to the bank to beat a paycheck from bouncing were still circulating years after the events. I can’t imagine employees at those places not scrambling to find jobs elsewhere.

allnurses Guide · Nov 11, 2019

It is common to not allow PTO through the holidays. I suspect this isn't a budget issue but just a policy issue and your manager didn't want to flat out say that nobody gets to take time off.

galaxygirl17, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2019

On 11/10/2019 at 1:26 PM, 2BS Nurse said:
I would hope previously scheduled and paid for vacations are excluded from this rule!

Yes, they are excluded.

On 11/11/2019 at 7:14 AM, Nurse SMS said:
It is common to not allow PTO through the holidays. I suspect this isn't a budget issue but just a policy issue and your manager didn't want to flat out say that nobody gets to take time off.

Yes, the rule you are describing has been in effect every year at this hospital - no PTO from mid-December to mid-January. What I am asking about LENGTHENED the time period to include some of October, all of November, and all of December. This is in addition to the blackout period that we just had (all of September and half of October) where we couldn't take off because we added a new computer system and between staff being at training and going live and learning the new system.

So, we have not been able to use PTO (unless previously approved) from Sept -Jan except for 2 weeks in Oct.

galaxygirl17, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2019

15 hours ago, LovingLife123 said:
PTO is your compensation. It should already be budgeted in. If they are telling you there’s a problem with the budget, I’d leave. That’s not a good sign of things to come.
What kind of facility is this?

It is a hospital.

I am a new nurse but "PTO is already budgeted in" as you said is something I've heard others with management and budgeting experience have also said and they are confused as well.