Employee starts new job, company demands she uses PTO for Memorial Day: 'I can't use PTO until 90 days of employment'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
May 22, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

Is it fair for bank holidays and PTO to be the same thing?

Most of us would agree that having time off work is essential, and many would say that we do not get enough of it. We should be spending the maximum amount of time possible increasing shareholder value and giving ourselves to the cause. Vacations are something of a luxury in a world where we are taught that our main purpose is labor.

As a result, most employees in the US who have full-time jobs usually don't have a very big entitlement to PTO. When you have worked in a place for a long time, this can be easier to adjust to—but if you switch companies and your new role has a stricter attitude to taking vacation days, it can come as a nasty shock. 

It is always wise to try to find out a downside like this before you take a job offer, but that doesn't always turn out to be possible. Nonetheless, PTO is important enough that it is understandable for it to be a non-negotiable when it comes to finding a job that fits in with your lifestyle.

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  • A female employee frowns and rests her chin in her hands while working on her laptop
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A female employee frowns and rests her chin in her hands while working on her laptop

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • An employee recently started a new job at a nonprofit. She was initially happy in the role, as it paid well and was similar to what she had been doing previously. However, she found out some things about the organization that she did not like so much after only two weeks of being there.

    She realized that for five of the holidays throughout the year, she would be required to take from her PTO allowance. Even worse, she couldn't use her PTO within the first 90 days of employment, and Memorial Day was coming up. She was having second thoughts about the job.

  • Learned that new job expects employees to use PTO on the big 5 holidays

    I started a new job I was really happy to get. The pay was good and the same work as my previous job, just a bit farther in distance. I was excited that it was nonprofit despite the other one and had a union.
    via thrwowaway7378484
  • That excitement turned into annoyance and this is my second week of being here. I since learned that while the nonprofit part stood, the union is not that good. They made a deal with the company that required employees to have to use PTO on the 5 big holidays. One of them being Memorial Day.
    via thrwowaway7378484
  • I can't use PTO till 90 days of employment, which I was fine with since I've dealt with that before. So I asked what I do and they said I would have to go on lwop (leave without pay) for that one day.
    via thrwowaway7378484
  • I thought to myself...Ok. I've never not been paid for a holiday before. In fact at the old company I got paid time and a half for working on holidays.
    via thrwowaway7378484
  • So I decided to accept two job interviews for jobs I've applied to previously and they reached out this week. If they offer me something and the pay is right I'm writing a heavy detail to HR and everyone I know there as to why I'm leaving so suddenly.
    via thrwowaway7378484
  • The interviews are on Monday. Which I'm grateful I was allowed to schedule them on that day since it'll make the day off worth. Wish me luck!
    via thrwowaway7378484
  • A female employee works on her laptop in the office
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A female employee works on her laptop in the office

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Seaworthinesslcy750 That's a tough spot to be in so early on. It's wild that they'd expect PTO use on major holidays, especially when you can't access it yet. Definitely makes sense to explore other options if you can. Good luck with the interviews!
    via Seaworthinessicy750
  • clutzycook I worked at a place that did this. It was a multi hospital system and their idea of "paid holidays" was for you to use your PTO for it. It made planning for vacations or maternity leave an absolute headaches.
    via clutzycook
  • ConkerPrime So you are aiming for jobs that are conducting interviews on the holiday, proving they likely will demand employees to work holidays. And that is an improvement? Am I reading that right?
    via ConkerPrime
  • Accurate Ostrich_240 I've never heard that one, but employers seem to be offering less and less the longer I've been around. I don't blame you. It may work for some, but it sounds like that would be a detail that would
    via Accurate_Ostrich_240
  • make them more of a stopover job than a long term one. That might even be the idea. They can keep the staff younger and hungrier, and therefore not have the expense of wage increases, etc you might have with long timers.
    via Accurate_Ostrich_240
  • Miamiconnectionexo this is the way. simple and it actually works.
    via Miamiconnectionexo
  • youngdude70 Having to use PTO for the five big holidays is one thing; being forced into unpaid leave before you are even eligible to use PTO is the part I would treat as a serious signal. For the interviews Monday,
    via youngdude70
  • I'd ask very directly how holidays, PTO accrual, blackout periods, and union/benefit rules work before accepting anything. If you do get a better offer, keep the resignation boring: "I accepted another role and my last day is X."
    via youngdude70
  • A long explanation to HR usually feels satisfying but rarely changes anything, especially after two weeks. If they ask why, you can calmly say the holiday/PTO structure was not what you expected and did not work for you.
    via youngdude70
  • Professional_Hat284 My friend works at a company where it's closed for a week during the Christmas holidays but counts as their PTO benefits. So they get 3 weeks PTO per year but they're forced to use 1 week every year when the office is closed.
    via Professional_Hat284

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