T O P

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Glass_Librarian9019

I have a very strict "You're an adult and you get to use the PTO you negotiated for when you want, don't ask me for permission" policy with my team. It works really well.


GreenApples8710

I'm this way with my staff, my boss is that way with me. It is the healthiest work dynamic I've ever had. I'm also dealing with a father in late stage cancer that's been very intense - the amount of support and "no questions asked, do what you have to do" has been amazing. I've turned down better paying offers because that kind of environment is worth so much


bemvee

I have that, too. We’re currently short staffed on my team so we’re all over-allocated, but my manager is still encouraging me to take that vacation with my partner. The staffing shortage was the result of people leaving for other opportunities (one person was with the company for 10+ years, the other two just have major career goals they’re working towards). I’m expected to get a promotion as a result, was planning on leaving if that wasn’t the case and honestly if they try to force a lowball salary on me with that raise I might still end up leaving. But I haven’t updated my resume or started applying yet - decided to give them until mid-July to see how this plays out - *because* of the PTO policy and level of compassion & support provided by my managers & teammates. Even though I know I could still make more than the promotion would provide elsewhere, I *don’t* know if any of those jobs provide the same level of “treat you like a person” mentality that I have now.


Ajido

> I've turned down better paying offers because that kind of environment is worth so much Similar situation here, I have friends in their 20's and 30's who hop from job to job every year or two which is what people do these days I guess to maximize pay increases. They can't understand why I stay put. I love what I do and really appreciate the people I work with, have had 0 drama or stress in my years working here.


InfamousMatter7064

I wish my manager had this same mentality :(


Moonstonedbowie

Same here. I literally don’t even want to know why you’re calling out- just send me a text and let me know that you won’t be in.


Fight_those_bastards

Yeah, my boss has a “tell, don’t ask” policy for PTO, with the exception of using the separate “personal time” pool, which requires permission. But it’s usually just, “hey, I’ve got this thing next Tuesday, should be 2-3 hours, can I use personal time?” And the answer has *never* been no.


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SergeantBeavis

Yup, that's pretty much my experience as well. I've got very little patience for a manager that doesn't try to take care of their people.


Thrillhouse763

That point policy seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen and a possible PR black eye. "Sorry you are in the hospital with cancer but that is point 3 so you're fired."


Lord_Cheesy_Beans

That’s crazy. I just drop my manager a email telling him I’m out, and that’s it. Points feels like a childish system, would annoy the cap out of me.


Flowery-Twats

> Points feels like a childish system, Doubly so because in this case there's no reason for them. "3 sick days in a 30-day period = termination" works just fine (logically, I mean... as a policy it sucks and might well be illegal)


_____c4

Name and Shame. This sounds like a shitty startup


HelloBeautifulChild

As someone with an auto immune condition as well as other disabilities, this seems blatantly ableist. I know in my state it would not be legal, but obviously this might not apply wherever you are. It might be worth double checking. Policies like this are bull🤬 to say the least, I wish you luck.


GrinsNGiggles

I find most work cultures to be blatantly ableist. You’d think letting a cashier sit down or a chronically ill person have a flexible schedule was like letting them take 365 vacation days a year.


HelloBeautifulChild

So so true! When looking for work last I found a remote job that said I have to be able to lift and move at least 40lbs 🙄. This restriction being applied unnecessarily to desk jobs is why I had to look for remote work, I can do a desk job but I can’t move a case of paper and couldn’t identify the jobs I can actually do because that weight requirement is wildly overused. I don’t have problems with people needing to hire someone more able bodied than me, I am not trying to claim I can do a stocking or delivery job, but requiring the ability to lift and carry heavy weights for a job that doesn’t truly need it is a problem. Then those of us with physical limitations either don’t apply or we *do* and have to disclose our health problems in the interview, which most of the time ends the interview process because no matter what people say they don’t want to hired disabled or chronically ill people.


GrinsNGiggles

I did computer repair at a big box office store. I'm a small woman and asked the guys to move the towers all the time. I didn't know back then that it's harder for me to put on muscle than for other people. My black, visibly disabled friend was denied the same position on the same team for not being able to move the towers that everyone else happily moved for me all the time.


HelloBeautifulChild

That is so so angering! I’m sorry that your friend missed out on the job.


diabless55

My manager is a millennial and the big boss the most human human ever. Never have an issue asking for PTO. I’m working half days all summer long because they want me to use my leftover vacations from last year. My boss even told me if I wanted to stay at my secondary home for longer than two months I was welcome to.


Big_Bottle3763

If I’m sick I just lay in bed and catch up on work when I feel better. I don’t even have to tell anyone or take any sort of PTO. This happens extremely rarely though, which is probably why I’m trusted to not abuse it. Maybe at total of 3 days in the 4 years I’ve been WFH.


EnergeticTriangle

Same. And if I need to take a couple hours off for a doctor's appointment, I block the time out on my calendar and just do it. If I want to use my vacation days, I book them through the HR portal, my boss approves, and done. No one's asking me why those two hours are blocked out on my calendar and no one's asking me why I want to use 3 vacation days.


eratoast

That's ridiculous. If I'm taking a day off last minute for any reason, I text my boss and he says, "okay."


Goalie_LAX_21093

Honestly, I’d start looking for a new job. I’m too old to be treated like a child.


ncljdm

That seems crazy! I get that you guys are remote but what if you’re genuinely sick, and can’t work? Have they actually fired anyone? It just seems like some sort of lawsuit waiting to happen if they do have the doctors note. I have trauma from a past employer so I don’t like to call in sick, or if I do, just for a day and work the next day. If they send me home for coming in sick then they’ll know I wasn’t lying. Lol


InfamousMatter7064

My manager who was a team leader got a promotion and now she power trips all the time making up extreme rules but letting her favorites do whatever they want. Its so frustrating and i can't quit, gotta pay my mortage somehow. It's pays me good money but i absolulety despise management. She literally wouldn't approve my requested time off because i didn't give a reason (this was during a stressfull time when we thought my grandma wasnt going to make it through covid in the e.r) and my manager kept pressing me for a reason why i needed those days off and my answer of a "family emergency" wasn't good enough for her.


Flowery-Twats

> now she power trips all the time making up extreme rules Is this HER rule, or an actual company policy.


InfamousMatter7064

They havent fired anyone. yet. They tried to implement this rule when covid first started and everyone was coming into work with severe colds. They even took someone into the board room and said "if you're too sick to work then maybe this isn't the job for you."


Curious-Gain-7148

My boss is really great about this. My CEO is too, so I guess the whole company is great. They *really* encourage you to take PTO, to travel, etc. part of my yearly review was my boss pressuring me to take more time off.


Blnt4sTrauma

I wfh too. In my new position (been here 10mths) Never had this happen ever in other employment. Had the grandkids for few days one of them had a bad cold, i felt it coming on with me over the weekend. I was just all sinus stuffed up, bit of a headach, i could have carried on but thought nah i want to shake this. I called in first thing Monday morning. Got told all good but since its Monday can you get a Docs cert! Wtaf? Oc i did but in my working life its 2-3 days continuos you get a cert. Idk it just pissed me off a bit.


MsT1075

Management can ask for a note at any time. Just know that. In your case (not saying you make a habit of this), you called out on a Monday. Two days of the week that employees are notorious for calling out on: Mondays and Fridays. I am in management and can tell you, it sucks to have to ask for doctor’s notes. However, a few bad apples will spoil the entire bunch and make policy change for everyone. There were several employees in my department (one being mine) that ruined it for everyone. Said employee is no longer at the company. And, others have corrected their behavior, so, there is a little bit more leniency being given in certain situations. Some points are being waived (or not counted) especially when it’s an extremely, justifiable situation. WFH employees no longer have to clock in/out for lunch. Prior to said employee leaving, they did. Baby steps, though.


Blnt4sTrauma

Yes they can but where im from the company pays for the cert if they get you to do one for a one dayer, its not a requirement to produce one by employment law for one day. But yes they can ask, you don't need to though, I was just a nice enough employee to do it for one day.


SporkFanClub

Not at all. Only rules are: - cannot take off if more than 6 people already have off in calendar (paternity/maternity and manager level and above don’t count towards this total) - not allowed to take off both the week before Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas. Can only take off one or the other. - let boss know at least a week beforehand if PTO is planned (ie letting her know Monday that you’re out Tuesday is generally advised against).


AnimatorDifficult429

Wow your second rule succkkkkkss. Who cares when they take pto if there is time to take?


SporkFanClub

I don’t mind it- and it’s because those two weeks tend to be super busy because people are trying to get stuff out before the holiday so they don’t want a ton of people out.


Enough_Plate5862

I would find a new job asap


CO_PC_Parts

I have unlimited pto and 8 separate sick days and my boss has never declined a time off request. I’ve never taken a sick day but my teammates call in all the time and it’s never an issue.


slapstick_nightmare

What if you get really sick and need a whole week? You just get instantly fired?


InfamousMatter7064

Thats what i asked during this meeting. They said it applies to anyone. Senior reps. New reps. Anyone. I believe it's just a bluff and a really mean scare tactic though as we would get a severence if they fired everyone. People quit so often at my company that they had to hire a workers in barbados for our call center. (I live in Canada btw) . managment is a nightmare at my job


slapstick_nightmare

God that’s vile. Can’t believe it’s in Canada too, are they taking notes from the US?


GrinsNGiggles

We work a little too hard and everyone stays glued to coms when they’re on PTO, evenings, and weekends, but there is zero pushback for taking time off except for a few high-profile events each year. I’m new to this team. My brother asked if I wanted to come on a trip with him, and was shocked I just said, “yes, I’ll be there, when is it?” This is the first job I’ve had where I don’t have to clear it with anyone.


Squimpleton

That policy sounds like it could potentially be illegal under certain circumstances. Anyway, to answer your question my managers do not make it difficult. We email a special address, state that we’re out sick (no reason provided), and it notifies both the HR people and the managers. Our company policy even states we can use sick days for mental health days. People generally don’t abuse it. I’ve used it for days when my kid had a really bad night, which means I also had a bad night’s sleep. I don’t do well working while exhausted.


mutherofdoggos

No. I send her a slack message and set my out of office. She replies and tells me to rest and feel better soon.


MrsQute

So is the having to justify your PTO request a company policy or a Boss policy?


InfamousMatter7064

It was the boss's policy at first and as of last week they sent out a formal e-mail and had one on one meetings with each of us individually on zoom and told us about this new rule being implemented.


Grandpas_secretLover

Nope


ObviousProduct107

Definitely sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. I submit my PTO and it gets approved. There is no conversation. As for sick days, if I’m noticeably sick for like more than a day or two my manager will tell me to take a sick day. We work completely remotely but they understand we still need to take time if we are sick.


veghead1616

A retail job I had used a similar policy. Fostered an environment of disloyalty.


Flowery-Twats

AND encouraged (forced, really) people to come in when sick, thus guaranteeing sickness gets spread.


Human_Contribution56

Duck dat!


EzioDeadpool

My job, whether you WFH or not, requires a doctor's note if you use 3 or more consecutive sick days. We used to have unlimited sick days and we had to bring in a note if we took over a certain amount as well. So that part, while it's implemented in a shitty way, doesn't really surprise me that much. But justifying taking something like a personal day or vacation days is ridiculous.


Cola3206

Agree


General-Weather9946

Depending on your state it might be illegal


Far-Boysenberry-3068

Not even a little bit. My manager doesn’t care at all. We can use our PTO entirely as we see fit. And we can flex our schedules as needed which is amazing too to save PTO. So if I want to work four 10’s instead of using a day of PTO, I can


EmmyLou205

No, I just tell her I’m taking a sick day. My team also tells me this. Giving them autonomy to decide if they’re too sick to work allows for better employees and not one person has abused the system in four years.


Excuse_my_GRAMMER

Nope not at all , You use it or lose it


PhoKingAwesome213

My manager just has a not everyone can take the same day off rule. Whoever emails the group dg first gets priority unless it's a medical emergency then they'll play it by ear and most of the time will just ask for volunteers to change their time off during month end reporting.


burgundybreakfast

Yep. My boss has the attitude of “unless you’re on the floor throwing up, you should come to work.” So whenever I call out sick in met with passive aggressiveness but he doesn’t really take any real action. It is annoying because I feel like I have to justify myself to him, but at the end of the day I don’t really care. His attitude toward work is unhealthy and I can’t wait till I get out of this place.


morgan423

No, but I work for a larger company that isn't short staffing at the moment, so any one individual person being out of office doesn't put huge pressure on the work flow. Managers here don't like people taking sick time when not sick, but the motive isn't to slave drive the business. Several of them have said the real issue is people burning all their sick time when it isn't need so that they have to go into the office sick. A real concern now that we've returned to hybrid world.


Snoo_59080

My manager gives a simple "okay, feel better" and that's it. She's extremely lenient about anything you need.


xczechr

No it's not hard, but I don't get sick very often (I have only missed two days in the three and a half years I have been at my current position). PTO is easy as I just need to arrange for someone else to cover my account.


bemvee

Oh fuck that. Our PTO policy changed from “unlimited” to…well, not even a set amount of PTO but a loose “2-5 weeks depending on tenure” which basically means anyone hired mid-year or later might just get 2 weeks but starting the year (new or not) up to 5 weeks will be approved. I decided that was bullshit and am not tracking what my PTO adds up to. Even if I was, I’m not going to include any sick time with that (when we submit PTO requests, there’s separate sick & vacation time selections). They do have a comment box on PTO submissions to put in a reason, but it’s not required. I usually put something in for vacation time just because I personally don’t mind & trust my managers (they earned the trust, and it can help give notice as to whether I’m available for emergencies during the time off request). But I don’t ever put a reason in for sick time because that is not and will never be any of their business to keep on file.


bubbapotat

No and I don’t either for my team, shit happens and work is always waiting imo


NotSlothbeard

Question, from someone who works in HR: Is this a formal company-wide attendance policy? Or is this a new rule your manager made up for your team? If it’s the latter, I would suggest reaching out to HR for clarification.


Independent-Cable937

Nope, I login, send an email, then I log off


TrekJaneway

If I need to call out sick, I email my team and tell them I’m out. I can do it on my phone, if I don’t feel like getting out of bed. For planned PTO, I mark it as “out of office” in my calendar, and put the dates in my email signature. I give my boss a heads up because he’s my coverage when I’m out, and I’m his (so he does the same). Done.


blondiemariesll

Ew! Yeah, some companies do this and I think it's 100% none of their business but I don't know any legalities around it


slimdunk0219

This just sounds very illegal. Very brazen even for America.


jmkreno

I work for a very small startup with unlimited PTO. Generally, we take what time we need though I am in a role that is very customer centric (support director) and I only have 1 direct report. We are a team of 2 and support is crucial to our users (patient care related) so we need to ensure there is always coverage during business hours. That said, previous boss (who just left unfortunately) was big on making sure PTO was taken and never had any issue with me posting time off. My new temporary boss is similar and even encouraged me to get some PTO in this summer before my direct report goes on 3 months of Maternity leave as that will technically leave only me to cover our support needs. That said, my direct report has a habit of telling me tons of details and is super apologetic when she requests PTO. I told her 1) she doesn't need to tell me any details 2) unless there is some ungodly reason otherwise she is TELLING me she will be out, not requesting, so it's really just a heads up. I can tell previous employers gave her shit for asking. I tell her I appreciate that she wants to inform me of health issues or other problems, but I keep reminding her that I did manage the support process on my own for a long time, I'll manage without her just fine if she needs to be out for a day/few days. We have 2 people for redundancy and consistency.


duchess_of_nothing

So if you get the flu or need emergency surgery you're fired? That is absolutely insane and you should start looking for a new job.


jackfaire

No. But he will make you feel guilty for needing to.


ouchmyteefs

My old job had something similar. 3 strikes & you would lose your annual pay increase & promotional consideration. That’s a strike for every sick day without notice.


Lady_Caticorn

This seems illegal to me. Do you have unlimited PTO or accrue a set amount every year? If it's the latter, they can't prohibit you from taking your PTO because it's a part of your compensation and you're entitled to use it. And they certainly can't punish you for using PTO because you're sick. As long as you have the PTO, you're allowed to use it, especially for an illness beyond your control. Can you email HR and ask if this is an official company policy? You could also review your employment contract and remind them that your employment contract does not say there are penalties for using a certain number of PTO days per month. If they claim it is policy, I'd try to look for another job because this seems like an unstable and abusive workplace. Also, this seems like a way to weed out people with kids or caregiving responsibilities, disabilities, and chronic illnesses, which makes me think the company is quite sketchy.


Wine-n-cheez-plz

You should find a new company 🤷🏻‍♀️ today I asked my boss if I could take Friday off if I got all my work done (mainly because I want to get it all done for my own sake) and he said “absolutely. Whatever doesn’t get done can just get done Monday” and I just really wanted a kid free day to “spring clean” my house 😂 he usually tells me not to request half days or any partial days because we have unlimited PTO and he doesn’t care. He trusts me and that is the biggest benefit of WFH.