Has anyone else been told by HR that unlimited PTO has a limit? Our policy very clearly states there is no limit, but once I used 25 days of PTO for the year, I was told by HR that 6 wks or more is not "within reason" (though again, our policy clearly doesn't allude to such a thing) and my manager was basically told it's not ok. I am getting all my work done btw so no issue there.

likefunnyhelpfulsmartuplifting
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at
Highlighted IconHIGHLIGHTED

Unlimited PTO is a scam. Allows companies to not pay out vacation days when you leave and get workers to take less time off.

Clearly you are seeing the limits of this unlimited policy.

likesmarthelpfulupliftingfunny

Unlimited PTO reduces company liability on their P&L. Depending on the size of the company, depends on the amount of capital they have to keep in reserves for salaried employees. Could be millions. Telling you, you have unlimited PTO just means company saves money.

like

PTO is a subtle art. Work continues to accumulate while out of office, and decisions are made without the input of the person on vacation. If one is able to take a large amount of PTO, per company policy, it does not necessarily mean that taking a large amount of PTO does not come with consequences. Aside from what is mentioned above, depending on the work environment, PTO that is perceived as excessive may carry associated sentiments that could be unfavorable. It is possible that someone in a position of power could have the perspective that others should follow a similar work ethic to him/her. Not all philosophies on work ethic are healthy, and each person needs to run at the rate that works for that individual. All that said, the best policy is generally to be open with the team about travel plans with sufficiently advanced notice and to encourage other teammates to also enjoy the PTO benefit that your company offers. Maybe have conversations with others about their plans for vacation, and see what you learn about the team. Good luck!

like
Recent IconRecent

That’s absurd. Very problematic if your performance is good / improving YOY

likesmarthelpful

💯 HR is there to protect the company. If you are being mistreated or have an issue with anything, your best to seek outside support. Sharing your issue will definitely be appreciated, though to be informed on actions to protect the company, not individuals.

like

Unlimited PTO is a scam are you really surprised

like

Touche

like

I understand their might be n unwritten rule of not taking an unreasonable amount of time off, but 25 days can’t be it… 😅 many companies have this as their standard PTO policy. I say a company should be expecting employees to take at least 35.

likesmarthelpfulfunny

Agreed, I’ve had 5 weeks paid vacation at three different jobs in a row, that’s very standard imo and unlimited should be prepared for employees to use at least that much, especially since I suspect the majority of OP’s colleagues are barely taking any (the usual thing we know happens with unlimited PTO).

likesmart

Send them a dictionary definition of “unlimited” and call it a day

funnylikehelpful

try that and share your experience here

like

If it’s unlimited y are u even having to report it to hr? Seems weird to me. They can’t have it both ways

like

That is correct, short term PTO in unlimited PTO case doesn't need to be reported to the HR. Manager has huge control over PTO and vacation leaves.

The only time I've seen a situation like that was when the individual had performance issues or had taken an insane (far more than 5 weeks) amount of leave. I'd see if your manager is willing to escalate this to the director or VP of your division. The decision of how much PTO is too much should be between you and your manager. And, HR should be enacting and codifying policy, not making policy.

If they have a hard limit and that limit isn't documented (and publicized), then claiming they have Open PTO is a lie.

like

I disagree. If you are a poor performer you are at risk of being fired (at least in the US almost every employee is an at-will employee and can be fired at any time. So doing your job badly and taking lots of time off is a good way to be fired.

Unlimited PTO trades process for politics. As a manager I came to hate it as you never have a clear idea what is going to reflect poorly on someone or not. Someone could take every other Friday off all year and no one bats and eye but someone who hasn't taken time off for 3 years taking 4 weeks off will send leadership screaming.

As frustrating as it can be to have the dwindling supply of vacation days it at least provides a clear contract on what both parties will accept. I can save up time or I can spend it piecemeal and everyone gets a fare shake.

It's extremely dependent on leadership culture which means you're playing an annoying game of chess whenever you want to ask for time off.

likesmart

I am taking 6 months PTO. It is unlimited.

funnylike

Our PTO policy has a maximum number of weeks in a row you can take off,; but not a maximum in a year. It does require you to get your work done.

helpful

Unlimited PTO is an accounting technique to wipe PTO liability off the company's books - nothing else. Its sugar coated as an employee benefit. In reality, the rules for PTO remain the same. Whatever rules/policies applied for finite pto apply to unlimited pto as well (business impact, manager approval, employee goals etc. etc.)

like

D'oh. I mistakenly thought this was an Indeed employee, which may not be the case.

Unlimited PTO is not infrequently implemented as a scam. There are no limits, but it requires approval; And after a level that meets traditional PTO tables, approval becomes scarce. This allows a company to not owe you the PTO as a liability.

I’m not saying unlimited PTO can’t be great. I know many people who take a large number of days off and have no problem so long as performance is good and they’re not taking time during key periods. But I know just as many who have found themselves on an unlimited policy that definitely was not.

likesmart

They don’t really want you to take unlimited time off.

like

Agreed. It’s the dependability part that is missed by abusers of the policy.

like

No such thing as "unlimited" PTO. It's just a financial gimmic. Our "within reason" limit (after which requires above-your-manager approval) is 20 days (4 weeks) per year.

likehelpful

Unlimited is exactly that for us. No limits only a minimum outlined to ensure people use their vacation days.

likesmart

Unlimited PTO is company-dependent as it requires the correct company culture to provide benefits for the workers.

If the company has the culture to back up truly unlimited PTO where workers are measured by output and not time put in and a worker's PTO request does not have to be approved to be taken (e.g. "don't ask, must tell" policy), then it is great and I don't care about any payout because I just want to take time off (my current company, I took 7wks off last year and am on track for 8wks this year).

If the company does not have the culture to back it up and your PTO can be denied and there are unspoken limits, then it is worse for workers and probably implemented only so the company can save money (this was my last company and my partner's last company).

If your company is the latter, they shouldn't call it "Unlimited" and should write down their limit so that people aren't mislead.

like

I applied for a company that boasted "Unlimited PTO". When I asked HR just before signing the offer, they told me it's 3 weeks vacation + "unlimited" day off there and there, but it's not well seen to take more than 5 per year. I didn't sign.

like

Yes, unlimited PTO does have to have a corporate limit, but connect with HR and explain your situation.

I believe you’re only allowed to take up to four weeks at time. And ideally you’re giving at least a 2-4 week window.

You might also get unpaid time off under local workplace/employee laws, especially in the states, especially for emergencies/health/family situations

like

I take 6 weeks or so a year of PTO. As long as I accel at my job there should be no reason for anyone to complain. And no one ever has. Unless you are a billable resource, no one should care how much you work, they should care about the outcomes.

like

There are a lot of old school companies. I don’t want to work for any of them. They can get less productive employees and earn less money. I get about 3 come work for us requests a week on linked in.

at my company is called as Flexible PTO. So it is not a lie in my case. The policy mentions it is unlimited in terms that there isn't a fixed limit, but it's rather used with discretion, responsibility and planned in advance. It makes sense to me. My plan is to take like 3 days more than the previous year btw... this year I took 4 weeks without any issue. This policy is better followed by mature teams imo, mature not in terms of years of experience, but in terms of responsibility+ownership+work distribution.

like

Related Posts

Folks who left the firm, how much was your PTO payout and how many days had you accrued?

like

Any suggestions for neighborhoods/streets/displays of holiday decorations and lighting? Back in LA there were neighborhoods known to have the best decorations and we’d do a drive through it. Anything like that here?

like

Does anyone work for Children’s medical center of Dallas on this form ? I know we recently had a “employee appreciation” bonus last month before Thanksgiving but not sure if that counts as one whole holiday bonus including Christmas , or it it’s safe to expect another in mid December ? What seems to be the latter in the past ? Any thoughts are appreciated !

like

Took my first vacation (1 week) in over a year to visit family. Was bombarded by emails from one partner asking me to complete non-time sensitive motions, which he hasn’t even bothered to review. This is my third firm in three years (first I left as I was severely underpaid, second I left for a 100k increase in salary), but this lack of respect for my boundaries has made me want to move again once I’ve completed 18 mos. Bad? They don’t do this to the other associates (all male).

like

Comp Inquiry for Facebook (Meta) - fish! Help me out. I’m a seasoned Program Manager. With more than 15 years of ERP Consulting experience from Deloitte. Looking to join FBs in a program Manager capacity for IT projects. What should I expect in terms of comp and benefits? I’m expecting at least 175k base with benefits. Not sure what to expect for joining and annual bonus. Appreciate your input and help!

Just got a promotion to go to 105k + 10% bonus unlimited PTO (trust me when I say I really use my PTO.. 😂) for embedded software engineer in Melbourne Fl. Should I start looking for a new job?

funnylike

Tips for not crying when you’re asking for leave? I’m so stressed and overwhelmed with work and the CPA exam and I want to take time off to just put all my energy into the exam and be done with it. I want a month and a half to finish it up and then have a week or two to decompress before I come back. But anytime I wanna talk about it, the stress and nerves overwhelm me and my eyes start welling up. Idk how to control it.

like

What is the UK salary for band C2 and what are the perks and benefits?

like

Remember to book your PTO and use these codes

Post Photo
likehelpful

Hi Fishes, is it a holiday today in TSYS on occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi?

Hey KGS Folks,

Does employees who works for UK client get furlough leaves/year end break during Christmas? I am new in KGS, so just wanted to know.

like

Studies show, Friday pizza parties are better than vacation.

Post Photo
likefunny

Hi Fishes,

Can anyone please shed some light on the work culture at Autodesk India?
Do they have any extra benefits (apart from the CTC) in terms of wellness allowance, WFH set-up cost, wellness being offs or any coupons/goodies that you get.

This is for the communications department.

like

Hi Guys,

Need suggestion which will be better organization to join Netcracker or IHS markit for DBA

Job security
Hike
Career growth
Work culture
Allowance
Other benefits.

Is it sad that I want to take mental health leave desperately but am worried if I leave in the next month I’ll screw over my team who is already short staffed and has a huge case that’s going to trial at the end of the month? Has anyone taken leave and planned the start date for a few weeks out? Should I worry that I’ll be penalized or given the cold shoulder if I leave now or in the next 2 weeks?

like

Joining RSM soon! Is there a cell phone or gym reimbursement plan?

BDO India Hello fellow consultants, i have been offered a package of 66K GBP from Deloitte UK for the position of Manager, Cyber Internal Audit, Financial Services, Risk Advisory, Manchester. I am currently working for BDO India and will be relocating, what are your views on this? What are the extra relocation and accomodation benefits i can ask for? I am a 24 year old bachelor. BDO

like

Can anyone at RSM tell me what your holiday schedule is for this year/do you close down at YE? Received an offer and says there are ten total holidays; but BDO offers 12 (YE closure included in the #)

like

What benefits are provided by PWC Bangalore AC to employees? Is the culture good enough compared to Deloitte USI?

like

More Posts

The most comfy shoes I’ve ever worn!

Post Photo
like

Thoughts on Upfront Ventures in LA? Even if not specific, has anyone heard anything about them?

like

Hi fishes,
When can we expcet our increment and bonus from EY india it’s already September

like

Mid-level analytics or account positions in Austin?

Tax question- Indian immigrant filing taxes in US.
If non-US (Indian) bank account is more than $10k, then one has to file additional forms?

After 6 years of temporary contracts and unstable situations, I find my dream job in my dream company. All of a sudden the world goes upside down and I get laid off. I start sending hundreds of applications, with only 2 recruiters getting back to me to say I don’t have experience for the job (this is how it works in Italy). Add a terrible health situation in my family and it seems there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Ugh. 😞

like

Waiting to find out if I got into online MBA program. Feeling a bit of concern about how I will continue to work FT and try to get my MBA in 24 or 36 months. Any tips?

So effing grateful to be able to work from bed while recovering from jab number 2

like

What companies hire IT support with an associate degree 😅

like

Hey folks, I’m an international student pursuing a Masters degree from UWaterloo and looking for full time opportunities in finance and consulting for fall 2022.

I have one YOE in Private Equity back in Asia, completed a fellowship at a VC in India, volunteered to help an Angel investor in Atlanta perform due diligence and a bunch of ECs. My course began in fall 2021, by the time I joined, most of the on-cycle recruitment application deadlines were already wrapped up. TIA!

like

Has anyone come across bitcoin or cryptocurrency scammers on Muzmatch? I feel like the app is full of frauds and fake profiles. Of course I’d never fall for it but if he’s too good to be true, he probably is ha. Please be careful and remember that love bombing is always a red flag.

funny

In Corpus Christi. Solo Practice. Business plummeting. Does TWC pay laid off employees?

like
like

Self-taught marketers, how did you grow your knowledge to get where you are today?

like

Any advice for the best credit cards to apply for before starting a job in strategy consulting coming right out of undergrad? Will likely be traveling a fair amount.

like

Will cognizant postpone my joining for 2-3 days? I will complete my notice period after 2 days of my joining.please let me know the process?

like

My lease is up soon and I found a couple of great places on the west side. I’m still learning about the different areas. If you had to choose, Brentwood or Culver City? And why?

like

Can someone provide me some insights into the Senior Solutions Developers roles at Amazon AWS? What are expected TC range for remote positions with 10+ years of experience? What kind of questions should I expect during the first technical interview(90 minutes)? Specially for the coding part(20-30 mins) what level of LC questions do I need to prepare for? I already got some ideas about System Design and LP parts however there is not any info out there regarding the coding part for this position.

like

Any good sites that just post agency jobs? So much garbage on LI etc and even then, seems like a lot of roles never make it past agency's internal site.

Probably wishful thinking but worth an ask...

like

Hi, I am going to join in epam anywhere next week. Today when i am trying to access my offer portal. I am not able to do so. Is anyone else facing the same issue. Kindly help.

like

Additional Posts in Tech

Quick question - are online coding schools worth it? I’m thinking of a career change and I’ve thought about a coding Boot Camp but saw an online full stack developer course by mammoth interactive. Would I be wasting my time and money with something like this if I wanted to go into an industry as a coder? Or should I just go back to school?

like

Hi all! Looking for a new position. What are the best places to grow as a UX Researcher? Not so much pay scale and promotions. Rather learning and opportunities for research. Thanks in advance!

like

What is the most ridiculous/annoying reason a company has given you for not being able to give you a raise? Mine just pulled the “if we give you more, we have to pay everyone else less” card. Like… ok, fine by me!

funnylike

Did any of y'all know about this? (found it in the Privacy section under Account. It's already toggled off on mobile, but webapp was still on)

Post Photo
likehelpfulsmart

What's something about a member of your team you wish you could say to their face?

like

Last week I've completed a very long (7 round ) interview process. It's been 5 days since then, I am waiting for final decision

After a follow-up yesterday, I got the below message

"Apologies for the delay, due to some critical meetings, we couldn't re-group internally. I will setup a check in with you on Monday. Hope that's okay"

I'm still not clear if the decision is positive or not

like

I turned down offers from a number of places over a year ago and now they're thriving. No one is inviting me in this time around. Airbnb: $450k at the time -> $1.2M now, Snap: $450k -> $780k now, Doordash $380k -> $700k now. I'm still at $500k TC where I'm at. Don't always play safe guys.

like

Has any gone through the Accenture skills interview for a product owner role who can help provide some insight?

like

How to get into Apple? Never ever heard back from any application ever made. Not even ding. All applications go to a black hole?

like

CGI Can I please request for a referral? I'm applying for an Industrial Placement at CGI and would love to get the opportunity to gain some real world work experience. Thank you!

like

Hey everyone, I was told I’ll be receiving an offer from my recruiter at Apple for Retail Solution Engineering position based in Sacramento,Ca , what compensation package should I expect? Apple

like

I am 5 years experienced and I have two offers from cognizant for 12LPA and capgemini for 11LPA. I am not sure which one I should go for. Please suggest me

like

Need help from Amazon 🐠 Anyone interviewed for Amazon L5 BIE in GSF supply chain team? The JD said basic qualifications include data modeling, ETL, data warehousing and optimization. Any idea or experience how they will test these topics? Asking about related experience? Or show some data and ask how you will deal with that? Or like a case study, given a senario and ask how you think in order to tackle problem? Need advice/idea/experience urgently. Thanks in advance.Amazon @BIE

like

What is a fair compensation for a Disney cruise line Digital Product Manager with 4+ YOE? Currently in the interview process.

like

Anyone in PWC London Digital & Cloud COE?

like

Hi Everyone,

I just received an offer to work as an software sales representative (SDR) for
IBMs Z systems. I'm coming as a sales engineer in the cloud security space. Can anyone advise me on whether Z systems are something worth going into? Also what do the growth opportunities look like at IBM? Is there opportunity for lateral movement onto other teams? Not too sure how I feel about working on mainframes (Z systems) but they keep pitching hybrid cloud to me. IBM

like

Really puts things into perspective. The average human life in weeks (each dot is equal to a week.) With that being said, what are you grateful for this year (52 weeks)?

Post Photo
like

Just got a great offer from Meta and shared the news with my GF of three years. Thought she'd be ecstatic but instead she threatened to dump me if I took the offer. WTF? I knew she was more on the "woke" side but this is ridiculous!

like

Anyone interview with Lending Tree ? Want some insight into the interview process.

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Send download link to your phone

OR

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Messaging rates may apply

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal