re: Observations of PTO usage between Older Workers v. Younger workers

why anyone is concerned with the way anyone else takes their PTO is beyond me.

I cannot imagine letting that be a concern that takes up space in my head.

I was at 5 weeks of vacation plus 7 personal days (no clue why they separated the two) and then our company went to "Unlimited PTO". There are two reasons I can see them doing that.

1) People will feel more guilty for using it
OR
2) They don't have to pay it out if you quit or get fired/laid off.

So with that in mind, I made sure to take more than what I would have if we were on the earned vacation schedule. I also take long weekends most of the year. I also take a week in late November/early December every year for hunting.

I'm in the older worker category in your OP but take PTO more like the younger.

I have a lot of days off per year (around 30), so I have to burn days here and there throughout the year.

People actually take entire months off? I’m jealous.

Our PTO doesn't roll over, so you better believe I am going to use the days lol

The company I work for separates PTO into vacation and sick time. My location is properly staffed when everyone is here but it’s a pain in the arse when someone is off. I manage the place but I’m the youngest guy here. On average I probably use 1 sick day per year over 12 years with this company. The most tenured guy uses all of his without fail.

Your vacation usage described me pretty well. I’ll usually take a week in the summer and Fridays off through the year. I’ve got 3 weeks so that’s what I use. He uses about 7 weeks between vacation and sick time. I’m usually getting calls from my location by 7:45 on days that I’m off asking me ridiculous questions, and yes there is always a thinly veiled guilt trip that I’ve dared to take my PTO and leave them here short handed. God forbid one of them have the sniffles though, can’t come to work with the sniffles.

quote:

---

They’re the ones that make the comments. I’m just making an observation and could give two shits.

---

And yet you felt obliged to start a thread on how people use the PTO that they earned.

quote:

---

All I got from this was the 25-35 crowd seems to be using their PTO more wisely than others to do fun shite on a long weekend because there's more to life than work

---

No, you decided what you think is wise and what is more fun. Some people like long weekends, some people prefer to do one massive vacation. You are confusing personal preference with wisdom.

My observation is that the younger workers call in sick just before holidays. Our company put in a policy that says that an unplanned day off before a holiday means that you don't get holiday pay. Keep in mind, they can still take PTO before holidays, just not last-minute sick days. The young workers have used all of their PTO. The reaction to that rule has been a bunch of bitching and complaining. I truly can't relate to that way of thinking.

This is why generalizations are stupid.. i am an older (mid-40s) worker, and i dont think ive taken an actual “vacation” per se of a week or more, in over 15 yrs… what i do a TON of is taking off various Fridays and Mondays throughout the year (mostly Mondays, since i dont mind working Fridays, they seem easier) to attend out of state SEC games and NFL games, long weekends at the beach, etc.. or just so i can sleep in late on Mondays and frick around all day… If i am indeed some rare bird among Gen Xers, then all i can say is that Millenials and Gen Zers are way way smarter than Gen Xers like myslef and Boomers, since many 3 or 4 day weekends throughout the year is the way to go .