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12:54
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Q: Boss doesn't seem to want to approve vacation time

Brandon PodgorskiI have been working for a company for four years. Over that four years, I've taken about 8 days off - mostly sick days, a short two day break, and one small emergency. I've also worked a lot of overtime - around 400 hours of overtime in the past 15 months. At this point, I'm pretty tired. I wen...

united-states overtime time-off burnout
cbll
cbll
Which country are you located in..? 8 vacation days in four years would be completely illegal in most European countries I know of..
Eike Pierstorff
Eike Pierstorff
This seems to be a case of bad management (no Plan B in case you are not available), but regardless of motive I do not see how this is sustainable for you in the long run (actually I am not even sure how you survived that long). Maybe a change of career is in order if this cannot be resolved ?
user52889
user52889
Have you suggested some dates of time you wish to take off?
Herb Wolfe
Herb Wolfe
Your math seems a bit off, as 100-125 hours of overtime averages out to be only about 2 hours a week. The few months of working 60 hours would put it at 240 hours of overtime just for that period.
Andrew Alexander
Andrew Alexander
I am in the United States
David
David
12:54
Take it soon. Don't wait six months for this. Try and get at least a solid week off soon for both your health and your sanity.
Willeke
Willeke
One week is not enough if you are close to a burn-out. And when you really get that burn-out it will be three month up to three years with possible lasting remains.
kat0r
kat0r
@cbll: he included sick days in those 8 days, we are not even talking about 8 vacation days but only 2.
Monica Cellio
Monica Cellio
Could you please edit into the question: (1) your location, (2) what your employment agreement says about vacation days (#/year, carryover), and (3) whether you were paid for the overtime? Thank you.
Andrew Alexander
Andrew Alexander
Monica, I put the information you requested.
Yeah it was mostly concentrated at the end of last year and beginning of this year. The majority happened end of last year.
John Feltz
John Feltz
Off topic, but does your boss have a "hit by a bus" plan? What happens if you were incapacitated, or you resigned?
Andrew Alexander
Andrew Alexander
12:54
I literally have no clue, John. As far as I can tell, none at all. It's a source of stress for me as I feel the whole brunt of the success of the business falls on my shoulders.
dan-klasson
dan-klasson
You've obviously been with this company 4 years too long. Find another employer that doesn't treat you like a slave.
eckes
eckes
@dan-klasson: SLAVERY was the word I had in mind all the time while reading this question. Is this a common practice in the US? Here in good old Germany you usually receive 120 days vacation in 4 years. Sick says not included, of course... Sickness is no vacation.
Radu Murzea
Radu Murzea
@eckes In USA there is a very popular "work and push as much as possible" mentality. And yes, that's very different from most European countries, where people take more vacations and so on.
@BrandonPodgorski What does your contract say about vacations ? Have you looked it over ?
Andrew Alexander
Andrew Alexander
I get about 2 weeks off, Radu, but that obviously doesn't matter if there's never time for me to take it. In the US, it's not an enforced thing.
Edwin Lambregts
Edwin Lambregts
Maybe I missed it, but: have you actually asked for some time off and specified when? It appears you asked for time off (without the when), and your boss said sure.. but you never said when you wanted time off. Kinda confused.

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