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Judi Cardillo

04/09/20 at 2:23PM UTC

Career

Vacation benefits?

I just received a job offer that I’m very interested in... the only thing I don’t like is that vacation time is only 2 weeks! I’m a 22 year veteran in the industry and 2 weeks seems like something for entry level positions but not lateral hires. I have tried to negotiate with HR but they says that’s what’s in the handbook so it’s non negotiable. Any thought in how to get them to be negotiable? Thanks...

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CONNIE CASTELLANO

Community relations & special events management

04/13/20 at 1:19PM UTC

if the rest of the benefits are good and the compensation works for you, then take the job. Look at the whole package and be grateful - there are many people out of jobs. You are among the fortunate.

Balanced791085

04/13/20 at 12:26PM UTC

Before you either walk away or take the job with the 2 weeks vacation, consider giving something in return. Can you be counted on to stay late a couple of hours a month? Companies will rarely give in without getting something in return. Can you make a promise to them about your performance? Remind them about the great qualities that you believe are unique that you're bringing to the table. And as a last resort, take an extra day to think about it and let them know you are still contemplating the vacation time. It might make them offer a few days more. Good luck.

Anonymous

04/12/20 at 10:22PM UTC

I understand your conflict. I am a 25 yr veteran in my industry. I just had to get away from EVIL management. And for that, I went from 11 hours of leave a pay period (8 Annual and 3 Sick) to the 2 weeks plus federal holidays. I hated it. I used to be able to take weeks off at a time and I was paid enough leave when I left, that I bought a car! But, unemployment is at an all-time low. So many people competing for the same job. I quit the crappy job I took with the 2 weeks of leave because they abused me for being deaf. I also filed an ADA complaint against them. But it took me 5 mos to get another job. I live outside the Wash DC area, and while there are a lot of jobs, there are a lot of talented people applying. I am now a contractor. I make my own hours but I have no leave. I have to manage my own retirement, etc. I am taking the chance that this contractor thing pans out and I get asked to join full-time. I don’t know if this helps you any, but I hope it gives you something to help you make your decision. Best of luck!

Carissa Gordon

04/12/20 at 9:53PM UTC

A couple things: - Assuming you still get holidays in addition to the two weeks, that honestly sounds about standard for non-executive level positions, at least for my industry. - I have previously negotiated pre-loading my PTO bank with 80 hours, it doesn't change your annual accrual, but it can add some time on the front end. - Most companies base this 100% on tenure at that particular company and are fairly non-negotiable about it - I would be VERY careful about planning on unpaid time, many companies do not allow this at all, especially for exempt employees because based on the interpretation of FLSA this can be considered illegal. - Recent legal changes in many states now require employers to pay out all accrued time off, this just happened to my company whereas previously the policy only had them pay it out upon your departure if you had worked for them for 3 years, I imagine this will make companies even more stringent on their accrual schedules.

Lynne Cogan

858

Career Coach for Realizing Professional Dreams

04/12/20 at 8:11PM UTC

Here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself. Have you discussed your vacation requirements with the hiring manager? HR might have to follow the rules that doesn't mean the hiring manager does. If the vacation time cannot be changed, have you discovered what has to happen for your vacation to be increased? Do you have to wait a year or is it five years or will it always remain two weeks? How important is having a longer vacation to you? Do you use that extra time or do you feel it is more an issue of your seniority not being respected? How will you feel if you start a job knowing that you only have two weeks off a year? Will you feel confined or can you find a way to make it work, i.e., taking multiple long weekends? Are there any other signs that this might not be the right job for you or is the vacation time the only concern?

Gina Diamante

880

News Editor at KPBS, San Diego's PBS/NPR station

04/12/20 at 3:30PM UTC

It may be that they cannot negotiate vacation with individuals because of union contracts. My employer's vacation benefit is very clearly defined; ten days per year for the first three, no matter how much experience you bring to the table. (I brought 25 years.) The amount of accrual increases every few years. Nine years into the job, I get 20 days of vacation a year and frankly don't know what to do with it all. We also get loads of sick leave that rolls over year to year. No "use it or lose it" nonsense. (And that made an ENORMOUS difference for me when I began cancer treatment last year.) We also get more holidays than I'm used to; most of my previous 25 years in broadcast involved working just about every holiday plus weekends. Make sure you look at the WHOLE package. Vacation may not be much. But what else do they offer? If it's a measly ten days of PTO a year covering sick and vacation, that's not good enough for ANYONE and no one should accept a job like that. But if there are other good benefits, and if the accrual increases over time, then don't turn it down over a mere ten days a year. Look at the other 250 work days in the year too (less holidays!).

Oksana Horbach

Technical Customer Success Manager

04/12/20 at 3:18PM UTC

I know that 2 weeks of vacation that is non-negotiable would be a hard stop for me as well. If it was an entry-level position, fine, but if it's a senior position that requires an advanced skillset, I would turn it down citing the only sticking point was the weeks of vacation. Alternately, negotiating a higher salary to make up for the lack of week(s) with the option for unpaid time (ensure this is an option first) would also be an approach to consider. However that said, given the current economic times, if I was not currently in a job and/or in a job that I HAD to get out of and this one was perfect EXCEPT for the vacation time, I would likely take it with the knowledge that in 6 months to 1 years time when things get back to normal I would be looking elsewhere if I'm unable to renegotiate the vacation time. I generally would not do this to an employer as I believe in making a commitment to them, but 2 weeks of vacation for a job requiring (I'm assuming here) the experience you have coming in is ridiculous.

Anonymous

04/12/20 at 2:39PM UTC

Many companies (especially public ones) are non-negotiable on their vacation policy because in terms of accounting, it's a liability on their books (because when you leave they need to pay that time out to you). Some other things to explore are: 1. If sick time is a separate bucket than vacation then your manager may allow you to use that as "vacation" time also. 2. What the years-of-service schedule for vacation increases is (my company starts at 2.5 weeks for all new employees but over time you can work your way up to 5 weeks). 3. If certain job titles (Director/VP/etc) move from vacation "on the books" to "unlimited" PTO. 4. If your manager will allow you to take unpaid PTO or save up comp time to trade for "vacation." In the end, you'll have to decide if the vacation policy is a dealbreaker for you or not. Good luck and I hope this works out for you!

Donna Lupori

207

COO

04/12/20 at 2:16PM UTC

I would talk to the hiring manager. You may be talking with an inexperienced HR recruiter. Negotiating at least 3 weeks is not unreasonable. With my years in my industry I’d never accept a new job with only 2 weeks vacation. That is entry level, not professional level time off.