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[NecrosaroIII]

One of the perks offered by my company is so-called "unlimited" PTO. However, the only way it gets approved is if your co-workers pick up the slack. When you submit a request for PTO, the hours you work are submitted to board where in order to get confirmed, every hour must be claimed by a colleague. What this translates out to is that basically no one takes a vacation.

I much prefer accurals. At least that way, I get a pay out at the end of the year.

 

[dorkimoe]

All the “worked hours” is arbitrary anyway. Cant someone who is already there grab them? Or is it a retail/service industry?

 

[Dr Bass]

Yup, it's not unlimited. It's a stupid concept, and like you mentioned you don't accrue hours you can cash out if you leave.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

All the “worked hours” is arbitrary anyway. Cant someone who is already there grab them? Or is it a retail/service industry?

24/7 call center.

 

[TylerD]

We have unlimited PTO. Our manager basically approves everything which can cause really shitty scheduling and low staff levels at times. I try to take 30 days a year. I much prefer it to accrual. Most I got up to was 15 days at any of my previous jobs.

 

[Ten_Fold]

Sounds like some call center type of shit. Unlimited PTO is always trash in my experience.

 

[iconmaster]

Yup, accrual is the way to go. “Unlimited” in practice means “you can ask, but you’ll feel bad about it.” It’s a sneaky way to limit your employees’ vacation while appearing generous.

 

[Mr Nash]

Is it wrong that when I hear "PTO" the first thing that I think of is Pacific Theater of Operations?

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Employees should lucky PTO is even a thing.

At our company, I think we get 3 PTO days per year. Maybe it's 4, I forget.

The purpose is supposed to be employees use it when they are stressed, or need a day off or two if they have something important to do like they are moving, or have important events with their kids they have to do. Something out of the ordinary, which the employer is being nice and letting people get extra days off so it doesn't cut into their regular vacation days.

Instead, most people use a PTO day and tack it onto a holiday long weekend, making it a 4 day holiday. Just about everyone I know treat them as bonus vacation days.

 

[TaySan]

Must be nice to have PTO.

 

[godhandiscen]

I have unlimited PTO. It’s okay. I use more than 2 weeks of PTO a year, and I prefer to chain it with holidays like last Christmas/New Year when I spent close to a month off the office. Before that, it had been about a year since I took a vacation though.

Must be nice to have PTO.

It’s a trade off. I work in software, and the work/life balance is non existent.

 

[Arkam]

UNlimited PTO is an absolute scam. A cheap trick to avoid carrying a liability on the books and trick simple minds. Under unlimited PTO people take less time off than with a set accrual rate. When its accrued it is "your time". you earned it and can take it off without stigma. Take off time under unlimited PTO and you are seen as a slacker. Also when you leave you have nothing to cash out.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

That sounds like some Michael Scott stuff. Making you and your co workers compete like that for something you should have.

 

[davepoobond]

Unlimited PTO is a scam. If you take a lot of time off then why do they need to keep you at all? Also they don’t have to pay you out your hours when you leave.

If the job actually treats their employees well with that program then I suppose it’s good, otherwise it’s still a pitfall.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

My company does unlimited currently, just cant abuse it essentially.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Employees should lucky PTO is even a thing.

At our company, I think we get 3 PTO days per year. Maybe it's 4, I forget.

The purpose is supposed to be employees use it when they are stressed, or need a day off or two if they have something important to do like they are moving, or have important events with their kids they have to do. Something out of the ordinary, which the employer is being nice and letting people get extra days off so it doesn't cut into their regular vacation days.

Instead, most people use a PTO day and tack it onto a holiday long weekend, making it a 4 day holiday. Just about everyone I know treat them as bonus vacation days.

We don't have vacation days. We don't have holidays off either. We just have PTO. You can try requesting a holiday off but it REALLY won't happen.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

When I worked for SCEA, we just accumulated PTO. As much as that job sucked, that part was decent.

OP, that system sounds dreadful. I'm sure people who hear "unlimited PTO" find that attractive until they find out what it really means.