I have one of those jobs where it truly doesn’t matter if you work a 40 hour week or a 70 hour week – there’s always more to do. I don’t mind this. In fact, I think it’s really good for me. I love structure and being busy. If I have too much time on my hands, I’m likely to spend it in front of the bathroom mirror examining my pores. That never ends well.
Anyway, this week was nuts. It’s Friday morning and I’ve worked 60 hours. I’ll be working tomorrow, too. And probably some of Sunday. This is not my pitch for Martyr of the Year, but it is one of those times I’d like to call our clients and maybe do a little bartering so they don’t all schedule due dates for major undertakings all on the same day. Hey, Bob? How’s about I see your Tuesday and raise you Thursday of next week?
In the middle of all of the crazy, the blog went down and my Inbox flooded with, “OMG. Did you get fired?” emails and hoo boy, I don’t have to tell you what that did for the dark circles already forming under my eyes. Veritable ink pots. The next day, I was driving home from work and KABLOOEY! both engine fans went out and I some quality time at the dealership – working. Oh, technology, god love ya for being such a blessing and a beast. The day after that – and here’s where the real meltdown came into play – the vacation request that I submitted so many moons ago - the one that asked for a bit more time than I would have accrued, that I submitted anyway because the person in charge said that it could be worked out, and not to worry – was denied. Sorry, policy is policy. And the person who was in charge is no longer, so you know, tough cookies.
I cried. At work. In the parking lot.
Here’s how that vacation was supposed the work: The Dork Lord’s parents rented a beach house in Florida for the first week of October. We were all going to drive out there on Friday after work and stay until the next Saturday, making big dinners and falling asleep in the sand and drinking wine and falling asleep on floating thingies in the pool. So much falling asleep, the idea of it made me giddy. But in the end, I was four hours (you caught that, right? Four. Hours) short of having enough vacation time and policy says, no borrowing. And no taking it unpaid. If you don’t have it accrued, you don’t go. You could have knocked me over whispering, “PTO.” I just stared at my boss waiting for him to say he was kidding. Do I think I should be above policy? You betcha! Yes, I’m new. But shit like that is for eight-to-fivers. Not folks who actually need vacations so they don’t blow some sort of internal fuse and strip down to their birthday suits and scurry around the office reenacting scenes from… I don’t know… DELIVERANCE.
So I bought a plane ticket (to join the family in the middle of the week so as not to use one second more of vacation than is absolutely legitimate) that I simultaneously really shouldn’t have but also really should. And then I lay on the couch and ate a bag of pistachios. Yeah, the whole bag.
I have to give you a ton of credit. I think I’d have quit on the spot. If you are salaried and have put in THAT much overtime for no recompense, and they can’t see clear to spot you FOUR FREAKING HOURS of vacation, then shame on them. What a crappy company. Good for you for buying that plane ticket. Sorry you’ve had such a rough week.
Four hours? FOUR? Are you serious?? I hope you bought the ticket that has you taking the full vacation anyway. Honestly — that kind of not-thinking-outside-the-box makes me want to shove a fork in my eye. They are lucky to have you, and I am betting they will still keep you after you take those four hours you don’t have.
I am forseeing a flight delay in your future…or a cancelled flight…
That is absolutely ridiculous that you can’t take it because it’s four hours short. What would they do if you just called out sick the last day? Food poisoning is rampant in Florida I hear.
I’ve gotta be thankful my company lets me take tons of unpaid time off. Of course I’m an hourly employee who works my butt off to do my work before I leave, so they loose no productivity or money when I’m gone :/
I hope you get to talking to someone on the plane about the work you do. And I hope they offer you an awesome job. And then I hope you tell your current place of employment to shove it. Serves them right. Hey, networking isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Why are employers so stupid? I say never work more than 40 hours again. “I’d love to, but my fiancée and I have this policy about working extra hours beyond what our employment contract indicates. You don’t think you’re above this policy, do you? I’m really sorry. Policy is policy!”
Good for you, good for you for buying that plane ticket! Go, relax, and enjoy yourself. I take it for granted that I have always had flexible employers, but I also don’t have that great a work ethic. Hmmm, vacation, or work? Why, vacation please! Good. For. You. I admire your ability to work so hard, but the company can spare you for four extra hours. And the corporate powers that be can suck it.
That is what I hate about many corporations- the complete lack of common sense. Thanks for going the extra mile- vacation request you probably desperating need? Denied! Policy! But we will expect you to donate your time above and beyond your 40 hour workweek because that benefits US.
Quite frankly I think the whole concept of vacation time is outdated, I think when we feel that we can leave without our workload suffering we should be able to take the time. When we can’t we don’t. For companies with deadlines that means on less busy weeks/months maybe people wouldn’t be there but on more busy weeks/months everyone will be there around the clock if they have to.
I also believe that with technology there is zero excuse for tying us all into our offices all the time. I can do my work from anywhere including the meetings thanks to teleconferencing. So if I want to go visit family for a month in December and work from there, I should be able to.
I cannot wait for the younger generation to take over the CEO slots in corporate america. I think these are a few of the changes we’ll see- you can already see it in the “hipper” places that have 30 year old CEOs. The companies that can’t keep up will hemorrhage employees.
And corporations wonder why they have no employee loyalty!
(Here’s a hint, guys: stop making the people who work their a*&es off for you feel like garbage!)
Yay for you! I am so glad you are going, and I can’t believe you have such a bullshit policy- c’mon people, be real. That said, I get to take all my vacation before I earn it, and I will have used all of mine next year by May!