'You have to work FIVE years to be eligible for 1 week of PTO': Company announces absurd PTO policy, denies any vacation time to employees with under 5 years at the company

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Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Jan 18, 2024 6:00 PM EST

Getting paid time off at your job can take some time. Unless you're an usually lucky duck or a master negotiator, you won't start a new job with weeks of PTO for you to take whenever you want. You will typically acquire it over months or years, saving it for a big vacation or a rainy day. While some people might have more PTO than others (for instance, if they negotiate for it), it's standard for every company hiring full-time employees to give them at least some time off. You've got to build morale somehow, and giving employees no chance to take a day off without missing out on income is not a great way to do so. 

One employee recently went viral on Reddit for bemoaning his workplace's PTO policy. At his job, only employees who've worked for over ten years at the company are eligible for two weeks of paid time off, and that policy is ringing a lot of alarm bells. 

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  • 01
    r/antiwork u/ChiWhiteSox247 • 1d New PTO Plan
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 02
    Years of Service Less than 5 Years of Service At least 5 Years of Service, but less than 10 Years of Service At least 10 Years of Service Vacation Hours 0 hours 0.02564 hours for every hour paid, up to a maximum of 40 hours 0.05128 hours for every hour paid, up to a maximum of 80 hours
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 03
    So my employer sent out a new VAC / PTO plan this morning. They changed things to the point where now you have to work FIVE years to be eligible for 1 week of PTO, ten years for 2. I hit my 9 year anniversary in 2 months and guess what? I get to drop from 3 weeks back down to 1 (it used to be 1 week after 1 year, 2 weeks after 5 and 3 weeks after 8. The only thing that's grandfathered in is what's in my accrual bank, otherwise once that's spent it resets to the new plan.
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 04
    Crazy how they find more and more ways to disengage employees. None of us are motivated, none of us care. I'm leaving 4/1 to go to a new company but I feel bad for everyone who hasn't gotten to the point where they say screw it and leave. When they say "nobody wants to work" THIS is what we're referring to! Nobody wants to work for companies that do this. Idk I just needed to vent somewhere about this, not looking for advice or anything. But
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 05
    arsapeek 23h · this is horrid. They broke it down to the fifth decimal point? so that you can max out at 80 hours, not two weeks, but 80 hours pto after ten _years? Bro that's a nightmare. I'm glad you're getting out, y'all need to burn the place down. as you leave, that's nuts. ... Reply 246
    via u/arsapeek
  • 06
    ChiWhiteSox247 OP 23h I'm taking as many with me as I can 分 57 凸
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 07
    Chipotleislyfee • 23h At my state government job, I max out Vacation time after 10 years - 30 days a year. I can bank up to 45 vacation days. I also accrue 1 sick day a month and can bank up to 90 sick days. Corporations are insane to think people will put up with no pto for 5 years. We really need mandatory pto laws in America ... Reply 445
    via u/Chipotleislyfee
  • 08
    SnooBooks1701 · 20h Your max is just two days more than the UK's annual minimum ... 139
    via u/SnooBooks1701
  • 09
    ChiWhiteSox247 OP • 23h It's beginning. I think this is the fallout from Illinois mandating 1 week of PTO for just about everyone (there are a few exceptions) 4 91 +
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 10
    dtfyoursister • 23h Unionize, only way to be treated fairly it seems Reply ... 408
    via u/dtfyoursister
  • 11
    ChiWhiteSox247 OP 23h Currently being discussed already 231
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 12
    sivadhash 23h What does 0 days of PTO mean? You have to work like every day Monday to Friday forever? Except public holidays? ... Reply 54
    via u/sivadhash
  • 13
    ChiWhiteSox247 OP • 23h Paid time off. Essentially you can't take a paid day off until you reach your 5 year anniversary ... 36
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 14
    sivadhash 23h But you can take unpaid off? Like if you wanted to go on holiday for a week? ... 29
    via u/sivadhash
  • 15
    ChiWhiteSox247 OP 23h ● Yes as long as they approve it 431
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247
  • 16
    Filthy Thief94. 23h European here. Does that mean you have no paid vacation hours/days for your first 5 years?! Reply 29
    via u/FilthyThief94
  • 17
    HE SAFETY MEE. VEHINGSOMETHING YOU STERDAY ohyoumad721. 22h Don't forget, in the land of the free vacation/sick/ personal time is NOT guaranteed. It's a "perk" from your employer. ... 433 33
    via u/ohyoumad721
  • 18
    ChiWhiteSox247 OP 23h Correct. Can still take unpaid time off. We get 40 hours PTO from the state but not from the employer ... 4 7 ↓
    via u/ChiWhiteSox247

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toxic job antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bad jobs work time off PTO workplace company paid time off vacation toxic-work-environment working
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