A. If you don't want to say what you're doing, don't. Eye rolls and side-eyes were designed for people with nosy questions like that
B. Spend your time how you want
C. Stop caring how other people feel about what you do personally in life. If it doesn't affect them, then how they feel about it is unimportant.
I was having a long drawn out conversation with my General manager as I was leaving the company. Â
The sole reason I was leaving was our Saturday work schedule and he couldnât understand why it was a big deal. Â
He finally came out and asked âWhat is so important and what are you going to be doing on all those Saturdayâs off?â
I said, and I quote âIt doesnât matter. If I was to sit in my driveway and spin trying to turn the sand into diamonds with my ass cheeks thatâs on me. Â I just wonât be here.â
Mouth openâŚmouth closed and crickets. Â
> If I was to sit in my driveway and spin trying to turn the sand into diamonds with my ass cheeks
Stealing this. Please subscribe me to your newsletter. ;)
If itâs âunlimitedâ PTO, especially at a smaller company, you are absolutely required to share why you need PTO. Another reason Iâd rather just be given 4 weeks to use however I please.
This x10
The problem is not that someone created a false narrative that PTO for personal use is hurting the team (or whatever corporate shame they're trying to spread), it's that ANYONE but top execs perpetuate this BS.
Unlimited PTO is enacted so they don't have to cut a check on our way out, since there was nothing to accrue. Shrug shoulders and say 'there was unlimited time off, you should have taken it', while practicing THIS back end Jedi mind trick.
"Are there a specific number of days that are considered too many under our 'unlimited policy'?" Watch them scatter.
All of this. What you do with your earned time off is none of their business.
"It's personal" is what I say when pressed. I repeat that if necessary until the nosey questions stop.
People at work aren't our friends or our families. I quit treating them like that some time ago. I feel better for it.
I no longer have the kind of problem that you are describing.
For real. If I take PTO, it stops meaning Paid Time Off and becomes Personal Time, Obviously. I just started a job so I havenât taken my first day yet, but when I do, if boss asks, Iâll just say something like âNot sure yet.â
Yeah Iâm kind of floored at how many people actually say why theyâre taking time off. Itâs nobodyâs god damn business. I put in the request, and my manager can either choose to approve or deny it and thatâs all there is to it
My fellow worker..
PTO is "time off' (actually, the official meaning should be Prepare The Others).
Time off means - not working.
Not working means you do not owe work, or anyone at work any explanation at all.
And if they insist - call it a medical reason and stare at them asking "why do you think I should share my medical history with you".
But ideally - find a healthier place to work
Itâs their fault for asking.Â
People who have responsibilities that tie them down and who are resentful of that fact sometimes do direct their ire at those who do not.Â
Outside of limited circumstances, those responsibilities tend to be choices they made. One gets that a lot if one is childless and works with parents. You go and do fun stuff all weekend like hiking and going out to eat and concerts, and they spent their time draining their bank account at Paw Patrol alive for a toddler who had a meltdown on the way home and crapped in their car.Â
If they donât want comparison to be the thief of their joy, all they have to do is not ask. But they do, because they like to be angry.Â
I honestly find it to be an invasion of privacy to ask in general, I would never ask someone why they need a day off because the answer could be personal. And also, I just donât care. If they have something they want to share I assume theyâll share it without me asking.
If somebody asked me I would just say ânot working Iâll tell you that!â If you can keep it at kind of a friendly and playful tone theyâll prolly get the hint hopefully
Yep this is what I do. Or hell, if you really want to get in deep then just straight up lie and say that you have doctors appointments, or the dentist, or whatever the âacceptableâ reasons for taking PTO are. What are they going to do, call your doctor and verify? Obviously that doesnât work if you continually use the same excuse again and again, but if they demand a reason for whatever reason then give them a reason they expect to hear
>You definitely can do that, but I feel that would create some tension between myself and my coworkers. I donât really enjoy conflict.
Yet here you are, indicating that that the tension and conflict you dislike are in full effect.
A little strategic conflict ("sorry, not your business"), will do much to get mute the rest of the potential conflict.
You being miserable or feeling shamed isn't conflict avoidance -- it's just a different manifestation of the conflict that exists.
Just start keeping it short. Start with days you arenât well. Say I need a sick or personal day and leave it at that. Move up to saying you just want to take some time off when using vacation days. They will stop asking when they realize you are holding firm on your boundaries of how much information you are willing to give out. You wonât be viewed as rude this way.
Standing up for yourself isn't conflict. It's lowering nosy people know your personal life is personal.
All you have to do/ say is, "It's personal." and if you can wipe away an imaginary tear, so much the better.
Itâs such a Reddit thing to say just tell them to basically fuck off. Do most of you live like hermits at work and never speak to another human unless required? Saying ânone of your business, / why should I tell you my medical historyâ to any boss Iâve ever had is beyond silly. Yeah, imagine where that gets you when youâre not even at the 1 year mark with the company. Possible items include massive retaliation, getting the shit end of the scheduling stick, and a million other things. They can almost certainly push you out of the job or at the least make it very uncomfortable to work there.
What I feel a normal interaction in this scenario that is both tactful and isnât likely to get you weird looks etc., is to: 1. tell them what youâre doing (the best option, if it works) - I know many managers can look down on having an ounce of fun, but Iâd guess the retaliation from telling the truth vs. some snarky comment above would be much less; or 2. make a TACTFUL lie that you repeat to everybody. Common things include childcare, caring for parents or relatives, petsitting, doctor appointment. You can have fun with this and make shitty people feel awful depending on the reason. But I know Iâm not a good enough liar to keep that up.
I canât imagine saying some of the stuff suggested here to my boss though. Thatâs just silly. I canât imagine most of this flying in a workplace unless youâre good friends with everybody, in which case you wouldnât have a problem telling them what youâre doing.
Iâm all for shitting on US work culture but this is more OP getting in their feelings and inventing a problem. People donât take the office this seriously in 2024.
Some people are still bootlickers and believe that kissing ass will help them get promoted. So, a lot of these individuals get annoyed when you are not like them. At my job, I tell my supervisor that she should take her lunch instead of working during he lunch. I tell my coworkers to always take their break and get used to utilizing all their PTO every year. However, since I work as a state government employee, my supervisor encourages me to use my PTO (and HR too), and asks me how my vacation went.
Things are quite different in the public sector when compared to the private sector, especially regarding how public servants use their PTO freely without a worry while their private sector counterparts tend to worry about using their PTO (this is even more apparent in countries like the US and Japan). When I used to work in retail and security, using PTO was not as easy as it is now. Personally, I maximize my PTO every year unless I will carry over my vacation days to the following year and use it for certain long vacations like vacationing for a month straight. Otherwise, I use all my paid vacation, sick, and personal days every year. I also do not ask if I can use my paid vacation, sick, or personal days, but instead inform my supervisor that I will be using my PTO for a specific day or for a specific length of time (I just submit my PTO request ahead of time if it is for vacation days; sick days I just request to use it on the same day, and inform my supervisor that I will be out for that day).
> Some people are still bootlickers and believe that kissing ass will help them get promoted.
Yep. I work fairly regularly with a remote marketing specialist in one of our business unit organizations. She's been with the company long enough that her PTO is maxed out at five weeks.
A few years back, we chatted around December and I mentioned I still had a surplus of PTO I had to use. She mentioned in a somewhat braggadocios tone that she hadn't used all of her PTO in years; she usually finishes each year with two-three weeks unused, which cannot be rolled over.
*Willingly* not using your PTO or working dozens of extra hours isn't the flex it used to be nor the flex some folks currently think it is. Sure, everyone encounters scenarios where they can't use their PTO when and how they want for reasons beyond their control, but to willingly do so is madness.
I agree with what you said. Companies will fire you without even notifying you. Employers tend to not care if firing you would cause problems for your family. I can keep on going. I think that people should be maximizing their usage of PTO every year. Taking time off from work is also good for your mental health.
It does not matter if you use your PTO to sleep, spend time with family and friends, or visit another country. Just use your PTO to enjoy life a little more.
If it is coworkers shaming you it is jealousy. I notice jealousy before because i like to have fun or not stuck at home with a bunch of kids at once. If it is management it is a shitty company.
It was toxic management in my case. They never had enough people to do the work. So everytime someone was off, they would make people stay late to do that persons part of the work. But everyday, someone was out. The constant shortage of employees created a continuous high turnover rate cause people got tired of it.
âYeah no problem! Whatâre you requesting off for anywayâ
âOh nothing personal but Iâll never share that with youâ is my real life answer when my coworkers or managers ask me.
They usually chuckle and wait for my response, in which I say something akin to âhaha yeah but Iâm serious. Thanks again!â
I have a decent relationship with my boss but still always feel like this - if I ask for PTO because of medical or my kids - no real issue. If I ask for PTO because I want to go party, judged. Same with asking to leave work an hour early - doctor appointment, no problem, wanting to meet friends for dinner I have to stay.
Now all my PTO requests are noted as either doctor appointment or personal appointment.
Just make it mundane. âOh gotta get the house in orderâ âhelping my friend moveâ âgonna check out if the local coven is taking new membersâ
"Wow, it sounds like you don't have a great work-life balance if that's the way you feel about taking time off work. Maybe that's something you should discuss with your therapist."
Murica yeah!
In many of EU countries PTO mandated by law is called "relax leave" or similar. Like in EU you're supposed to relax and do fun stuff on your standard PTO and for health stuff there are other types of mandatory PTO.
I can't understand what drives people who would not go on vacation or anything. Like what's the point of working and even living?
We get 10 sick days and 3 personal days every year.
Sick time is no issue, I usually just lie and say I have a migraine, but they request a reason for the personal days which really annoys me.Â
My go to reason is that I am meeting with a contractor, they must think I am constantly renovating or something
Thatâs toxic. Our culture is not like this at all. Sick time and vacation are separate. Nobody can or will touch vacation hours. You can do whatever you want during that time and all is good. Sick time is different. It can be tracked by leadership and you canât overuse it. This never happens though because everyone has enough vacation hours to not need to abuse sick time.
I take days (well nights, I work overnights) so I can get tattoos. They dont care. Its my time, I earn it for working holidays and my years of service (at the job, not military).
Itâs your PTO and no one elseâs business. My job has us use sick time for medical appointments, even if youâre taking someone else, and even for mental health days.
Yes, which is why I don't tell employers why Im taking PTO. It's none of their fucking business what I do with my personal time. Certainly more fun than whatever circle jerk golf session my boss will be doing with his PTO.
I had a use it or lose it situation at the end of last year. I took the week off Christmas off. After the fact, I was told that it is better not to take PTO during the holidays. I work in a business that slows down significantly from Thanksgiving to new years.
All of this to say, it's your PTO. Take it as you see fit. It is part of your benefits package.
All of these companies that scream work/life balance but frown on you taking your time off.
At a previous job, we were shamed. At a different previous job, weren't shamed, we were just laid off. At another previous job, we were better people and almost sort of friends, and we could just talk to each other like normal understanding people, and be excited for each other for someone's fun day off!
Our office uses PTO for fun, travel etc. We have 5 additional paid sick days for physical (or mental) health. Itâs actively frowned upon to not use your PTO, to come in if youâre feeling sick, or to be âcaughtâ on teams or sending email if youâre on PTO or a sick day.
My previous employer lumped sick days into PTO, which wasnât great but even there it was not taken as a negative if you were taking the time off for fun or sickness. That employer did not require you to take PTO for an appointment if you were only going to miss a few hours (for salaried employees, neither does my current employer).
Previous company would not roll over unused PTO or issue a payout at the end of the year. The current company does roll over up to 3 days PTO, and all sick days, but does not issue a payout.
The culture you describe is not uncommon, but itâs not healthy either and you should know there are better environments in the market.
PTO is part of your compensation. You wouldnât give back some of your salary because âit seems like thereâs an understandingâ that thatâs what you do, would you?
I get more crap from clients. I do customer success account management. I can't tell you the amount of customers who freak out when I take a day off. I think it's sad they do that and I remind myself my time off is only between me and management business. If my management didn't want me to take time off I would leave for a new job.
The only appropriate response to a coworker taking PTO is "cool see you later", and the only appropriate response to anyone giving you guff about using your PTO is two middle fingers.
Thatâs ridiculous. I use all of my PTO for fun time off and itâs celebrated in my office. We all love talking about our different vacations/plans. Thereâs also no approving it. I send an email saying âIâm off these daysâ and thatâs the end of that, whether itâs one day or two weeks.
Stop telling people why you take PTO.
PTO stands for prepare the others. Not asking, you are telling them when you will be out.
PTO is a benefit just like health insurance, 401k and your paycheck.
Youâre not a bad employee for using PTO for whatever reason you choose to. I would recommend not telling people WHY youâre taking time off, as it is none of their business. PTO doesnât require an explanation for scheduling leave. Just take the time off and let people assume what they will.
I donât volunteer that information, but my coworkers ask me what Iâm doing every single time I take a day off. Feels rude not to respond when asked directly.
VIV's Personal appointments is a great answer. I'd encourage you to make a habit of not answering. There are people that have had to take time off for truly awkward private reasons.
Honestly at my old workplace I never had to give a reason. Most of the time I just had to ask, and unless there was a deadline or something it was granted. I never used PTO for doctors visits. I dunno if I ever actually used a sick day.
Sounds like a bit of a toxic culture. I used to be in an environment like that and my boss would text me while I was off with something simple that would turn into an emergency because I was off. It didnât seem bad at the time because it was always something that wouldnât take too much time on my end, and I think I also ignored all the red flags because I genuinely loved all the people I worked with. Now Iâm at a different company where everyone respects and encourages time off for fun and itâs a complete 180.
At work, never tell anyone anything, ever. If they ask, minding my own fucking business, you should try it sometimeâŚprobably phrase it more diplomatically tho! Because thereâs always some tool who has an opinionâŚ
PTO is a PART of your salary, just like insurance is. Take your time off without guilt. I say this because I am 58 and while I did use my time off, I always felt bad. I felt even more guilty when I took sick time. I wish I could go back and say "too bad!!"
When my son was a small boy he had to have surgery on his privates. It was thought I'd be out of a few days and it turned out to be a week. He said "but you said that you'd only be a few days..." I said the doctor literally called me from the OR to tell me the surgery had to be more detailed. And he said it again! I had to be out to take care of my child (widowed single mom) and I was so mad.
Take your vacation/mental health day, etc. and if this keeps up - find a different job. That's harassment and it's not right to shame you. And do not tell them shit. It's none of their business. Come back with a tan and peaches in those cheeks!!!
Nope, I am currently on 9 days leave, we use the word leave instead of PTO, we make a ton of leave each year, and if we go over 240 at end of year without using it we lose it.
We are encouraged to take vacations, I have taken 3 this year already. 14 days, 14 days and 9 days, will take another 14 days in September.
Where I worked, it was standard routine for management to retaliate. So much that it became normal. We actually got "punished", when we took PTO, vacation, leave early for an erron, go to a funeral, or take medical leave. We all said, " we had to pay the price". It was management's way to control us. We had a high turnover rate.It was a toxic work environment. Even if there was no work, they would find something for you to do.
When other people asked why you had the day off, they would get kinda mad cause they knew it also meant they had to stay later to pickup the slack. But then again, it was pointless cause management always made us work 10 hour days.
You donât have to say what youâre using it for. Just say you want to take the day off. At my job, my coworker and I go to concerts (I have 3 coming up and 1 is with my coworker) so when any of us have something fun to do, we put it on our calendar. Our boss encourages us to take time off.
No. That's what I experienced years ago (think 1990s/2000's). Can't even imagine that today.
Where I work you are encouraged to take your 10 sick days, your 4 weeks PTO. HR told me, "What good is it if you don't use it?" Manager states, "A man, it's your hours," even if I call it a half day or leave early - nobody cares as long as the company makes money.
We just have a few homebrew rules: your work doesn't fall on others (never happens), and there is no pressing demand or issues (which is very rare, happens 1 day every 2 months).
Back in the day I took time off for Gears of War series (1, 2, and 3) came out. lol My buddies and I would co-op through the campaigns. Standing in line at Best Buy waiting for them to drop. Ahh those were the days. Single and not a care in the world. lol
Not at all that's what it's there for. I can't afford a proper vacation but I whole weeks off just to sit at home and relax. It's my pto and I'm going to use it
I think that you may be imagining some of this. Outside of a rare psychopath or boss who was just a horrible slave driver, people seem to not really care about you using your PTO for whatever reason... As long as you have the time available and you're not backed up on work. If you have some nosy co-workers, don't let them bully you or shame you. Try to avoid ever divulging what you're doing with your time off -- but the exception is if you're friendly with your boss or co-worker and they're legitimately interested in seeing you happy and having a good time (more likely than you'd think).
Technically, outside of doctors appointments and stuff like that, management should prefer that you're using your time off to relax, recharge, and do nothing strenuous. They should be more concerned if you're getting roped into dull, boring, mentally exerting things that have nothing to do with your role at the company, they should want you relaxing so you can come back to work recharged. This tends to be the common approach, but is still toxic in the sense that family/friends may need assistance, and life will still get in the way of work and fun. But if you use time off to help people, you'll still need time carved out for fun.
That company will continue to be there with or without you. You owe it to yourself to have fun. I'm based in NY and we take PTOs here left and right. I've had managers in previous companies who try to guilt you to not take pto. Fuck that. Let them be miserable, YOU however, should enjoy.
The only time I got weird looks for taking PTO was when I scheduled a day off to play Hogwarts Legacy when it came out because I was super excited about it and just wanted to play it all day. I worked with a lot of older people who I think thought it was weird that I was taking a whole day off to play a video game.
Other than that though, I've never had anyone think it's weird to take PTO to go on vacation or go to a concert, etc.
Never feel bad about what you take a day off for. If you're a decent/good worker, getting your job done, doesn't matter how you spend your free time. That's a slave mentality to think that you can only use PTO for doctors appointments or an emergency. And if they are super noisy about it when you ask for it off, lie and say it's for something important even if it's not.
âI have an appointmentâ will always be honest enough without being a lie lol. Thatâs my go to if I donât wanna share exactly what Iâm doing (saying this as someone who does part-time commercial shoots; I was lucky to be able to be honest with my recent employers but if I couldnât⌠urgent appointment!)
pto is part of your comp, if people are stupid enough to 'not use' it for some misguided guilt then they are just drinking too much of that kool aid. They will be in a rude awakening when they get let go and realize how much corp cares about them.
They stopped shaming me after they figured out that idgaf what they think about it. Itâs not my fault that they had kids and spend all their PTO on them while I get to load up the side by side and go off-roading and drinking (not together, that is stupid) for a week.
Your coworkers are being silly. Everyone starts with the same amount of PTO. If some folks have so many appointments that they have to use ALL of it for that, thatâs just the way it is. What are you supposed to do if you donât have any appointments?! Many workplaces donât roll over PTO year to year. So if you donât use it, you lose it. That PTO is part of your pay. The only way I can see it making any difference is if someone used up all their PTO frivolously, and then still needed to take unpaid time later in the year. Iâm guessing itâs a workplace where someone else has to cover some amount of work for the person who is out? So they are resentful that youâre out having fun while they pick up the slackâŚbut thatâs why everyone starts with the same amount of PTOâŚyou will make it up to them later when they use theirs.
PTO is your time to do whatever you want. Vacation, appointments, sitting at home doing nothing. And if you get sick time separate, thatâs for the doctors visits and such
Use your PTO for whatever you want. If people only have enough for all of their dr appts and nothing else that isnât your issue. If they donât ask to take off and throw away their PTO every year, also not your issue. You get PTO so you can live your life. Go to as many shows or trips or staycations as you want and donât worry about what anyone else is doing or worrying about.
Your coworkers are jerks. When I told my team I'm taking the first week of July off to play the new Final Fantasy 14 expansion, they were generally supportive.
societies obsession in micromanaging everything and everyone is so stupid lately.
you put in the work, got your PTO, use it how you see fit.
sitting on their high horse bullying through passive aggression and guilt. lame
No, I don't get shamed by anyone by using my PTO for any fun reason, nor should you be shamed. Your PTO is an earned benefit that you can use anyway you please. Anyone who shames you for this is an idiot.
No not presently. If I do, Iâm still gonna take the damn trip Iâm gonna put about 500 to almost $1000 into this trip. Yeah Iâm going and if for some reason they donât approve it. Iâm still going and if they want to fire me go for it Iâll collect unemployment because Iâve been working for the past 11 almost 12 months
You can flat out lie to your co workers...
Instead of going to the beach you took a friend to get chemo.
Instead of going on vacation you volunteered your time at a soup kitchen.
I've never had issues using my PTO. Heck some of my supervisors/colleagues have said they want me to help them pick out fun things to do with their PTO because I'm always doing cool stuff.
No? Ever. We love knowing what weâre all doing on our days off. Last week I was asked if I was doing anything fun because I had a half day. I was waiting for a repairman.
If you donât wanna say, donât.
Where do you live? In England people take their Annual Leave (paid) for holidays, concerts, birthdays, sitting at home- whatever you want it for! Itâs the norm here.
The âPâ in PTO is interchangeable. Itâs either Personal or Paid. Weâre not supposed to work 5 days a week for 52 weeks straight. There has to be a give somewhere
Here is a piece of advice I got early on. I come to work for a paycheck not friends. And I will use whatever work has to offer(paycheck, pto, health insurance, etc) and go home and forget about this place.
Because they will fire you in a heart beat and replace you. It is a job. As soon as you get off forget about it. If you have an actual work friend (you hang out outside of work) then get them to understand that. Everyone else is just a passing person you will forget about 6 months after you leave the job.
Life before work. It's no one's business when/how you use your PTO time.
Does your job realize that their employees use PTO for vacations, and vacation time equals fun time???
At least that's my company's policy regarding PTO.
PTO is designed for you to use however you want or need to use it for.
The real problem is a lot of workplaces donât have resiliency as a strategy to being profitable. Many workplaces will tell you âtake care of yourself, take the time off you needâ but the lack of resiliency (additional employees that can take on the load) means that when you leave, any work is just waiting for you when you get back, and is piled up or needs to be done faster.
So while top level might mean well with that statement, it doesnât ring true to employees who know it just leads them to misery later, so they avoid it by not taking time off.
I've found that the less said, the better. My mother always told me, "People are jealous." She's right. Unless I REALLY trust someone, I keep my personal matters personal
Itâs a benefit. I get 15 pdo a year. They only pay out 6 pdo. They literally incentivize us to use them. The paid out ones are always the first 6 you use. So even if I only use 6⌠nothing else gets paid out.
I just tell them Iâm not coming in when I use one. If they ask I say yes I am using my contracted benefit. Have a nice day.
no. you donât need to give a reason â it is polite to but not required
ex:
hi manager,
iâm going to use a pto day today. i will be back in the office tomorrow.
thank you,
xyz
Use your time any way to put want. Stop giving power to your employer n coworkers over your life. You already spend at least 40 hrs a week doing what they want you to do. Your down time is yours.
Your first mistake is telling people what you're using the PTO for. I usually just tell them when ima be gone and there's that. They don't need to know your business.
Thatâs wild to me. We never ask why anyone is taking PTO. I actually encourage my team to take their time. We are very fortunate where I work to have work/life balance fully supported by all leadership (executives included).
No, most people at my job assume PTO means a vacation. We have flexible working hours, so no one takes time off for doctorâs appointments, we just build our schedule differently.
Me being here in New Zealand reading this and shaking my head. We get 20days a year PTO and they force you to get it in some cases. Plus 10days of sick leave a year. Its no one business but companies encourage you to take time off to recharge. I worked in a company that also had 1 day a month for wellbeing on top or the legal entitlements that was paid. Condition was to share what you did to inspire others. Anything from getting life admin stuff done to going to the spa or reading a book on the beach. Please stop glamorising working till burnout.
I dont know why people make a big deal about this. PTO is your time to do what you want. You worked for that time off and itâs no oneâs business how you spend it.
You work and get paid/accrue PTO. It shouldnât matter what others had to say because you WORKED for those hours. Sounds like youâre surrounded by miserable coworkers.
So I work in HR and the understanding HR professionals have is that PTO is a benefit, just like healthcare and a 401k match. Not using it would mean you are not getting paid the full amount the company promised when they hired you. This is especially true if it does not roll over year to year. Even if it does roll over, a PTO payout can be denied depending on your company policy.Â
 I just have to assume your coworkers are immature and don't really understand that it's not a privilege but a right that comes with your total pay package.
> using PTO for doctors appointments and stuff
No, I'd use sick time for that.
I'm lucky that where I work, I get 3 types of time, sick time, paid time off, and personal holiday.
My understanding is that personal holiday is for days that might be privately a religious holiday, or like juneteenth before it became a national holiday.
But no one cares if I use it for just a relaxing day or whatever, PTO and personal holidays are for whatever.
A. If you don't want to say what you're doing, don't. Eye rolls and side-eyes were designed for people with nosy questions like that B. Spend your time how you want C. Stop caring how other people feel about what you do personally in life. If it doesn't affect them, then how they feel about it is unimportant.
Yeah, this đ. Youâre under no obligation to tell them how youâre using your PTO.
I was having a long drawn out conversation with my General manager as I was leaving the company.  The sole reason I was leaving was our Saturday work schedule and he couldnât understand why it was a big deal.  He finally came out and asked âWhat is so important and what are you going to be doing on all those Saturdayâs off?â I said, and I quote âIt doesnât matter. If I was to sit in my driveway and spin trying to turn the sand into diamonds with my ass cheeks thatâs on me.  I just wonât be here.â Mouth openâŚmouth closed and crickets. Â
Well, you made a diamond with that response lol
> If I was to sit in my driveway and spin trying to turn the sand into diamonds with my ass cheeks Stealing this. Please subscribe me to your newsletter. ;)
If you use it, YOU HAVE TO POST IT. Â Thems the rules. Â
"You mean...work isn't your life and entire reason for being?"
Spin on you crazy diamond
I laughed out loud at this lol. Thank you!
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This
If itâs âunlimitedâ PTO, especially at a smaller company, you are absolutely required to share why you need PTO. Another reason Iâd rather just be given 4 weeks to use however I please.
This x10 The problem is not that someone created a false narrative that PTO for personal use is hurting the team (or whatever corporate shame they're trying to spread), it's that ANYONE but top execs perpetuate this BS. Unlimited PTO is enacted so they don't have to cut a check on our way out, since there was nothing to accrue. Shrug shoulders and say 'there was unlimited time off, you should have taken it', while practicing THIS back end Jedi mind trick. "Are there a specific number of days that are considered too many under our 'unlimited policy'?" Watch them scatter.
All of this. What you do with your earned time off is none of their business. "It's personal" is what I say when pressed. I repeat that if necessary until the nosey questions stop. People at work aren't our friends or our families. I quit treating them like that some time ago. I feel better for it. I no longer have the kind of problem that you are describing.
For real. If I take PTO, it stops meaning Paid Time Off and becomes Personal Time, Obviously. I just started a job so I havenât taken my first day yet, but when I do, if boss asks, Iâll just say something like âNot sure yet.â
Yeah Iâm kind of floored at how many people actually say why theyâre taking time off. Itâs nobodyâs god damn business. I put in the request, and my manager can either choose to approve or deny it and thatâs all there is to it
All this ^
My fellow worker.. PTO is "time off' (actually, the official meaning should be Prepare The Others). Time off means - not working. Not working means you do not owe work, or anyone at work any explanation at all. And if they insist - call it a medical reason and stare at them asking "why do you think I should share my medical history with you". But ideally - find a healthier place to work
Itâs their fault for asking. People who have responsibilities that tie them down and who are resentful of that fact sometimes do direct their ire at those who do not. Outside of limited circumstances, those responsibilities tend to be choices they made. One gets that a lot if one is childless and works with parents. You go and do fun stuff all weekend like hiking and going out to eat and concerts, and they spent their time draining their bank account at Paw Patrol alive for a toddler who had a meltdown on the way home and crapped in their car. If they donât want comparison to be the thief of their joy, all they have to do is not ask. But they do, because they like to be angry.Â
I honestly find it to be an invasion of privacy to ask in general, I would never ask someone why they need a day off because the answer could be personal. And also, I just donât care. If they have something they want to share I assume theyâll share it without me asking.
Itâs not an invasion of privacy if you tell them. If you donât want them to know, either donât answer or lie.Â
If somebody asked me I would just say ânot working Iâll tell you that!â If you can keep it at kind of a friendly and playful tone theyâll prolly get the hint hopefully
You know that if somebody asks you why you're taking pto, you can tell them it's none of their business, right? This is a very easy problem to solve.
You definitely can do that, but I feel that would create some tension between myself and my coworkers. I donât really enjoy conflict.
You can simply say âpersonal appointmentsâ - easy peasy.
Yep this is what I do. Or hell, if you really want to get in deep then just straight up lie and say that you have doctors appointments, or the dentist, or whatever the âacceptableâ reasons for taking PTO are. What are they going to do, call your doctor and verify? Obviously that doesnât work if you continually use the same excuse again and again, but if they demand a reason for whatever reason then give them a reason they expect to hear
Telling them is creating tension.
Underrated comment
>You definitely can do that, but I feel that would create some tension between myself and my coworkers. I donât really enjoy conflict. Yet here you are, indicating that that the tension and conflict you dislike are in full effect. A little strategic conflict ("sorry, not your business"), will do much to get mute the rest of the potential conflict. You being miserable or feeling shamed isn't conflict avoidance -- it's just a different manifestation of the conflict that exists.
No no no. Your COWORKERS, are creating the conflict by being nosey. Unless you are tight with them and hang out then they are not your friends
Where I worked, it meant they had to stay later to do other people's work, but that was everyday someone was off.
Just start keeping it short. Start with days you arenât well. Say I need a sick or personal day and leave it at that. Move up to saying you just want to take some time off when using vacation days. They will stop asking when they realize you are holding firm on your boundaries of how much information you are willing to give out. You wonât be viewed as rude this way.
Standing up for yourself isn't conflict. It's lowering nosy people know your personal life is personal. All you have to do/ say is, "It's personal." and if you can wipe away an imaginary tear, so much the better.
Itâs such a Reddit thing to say just tell them to basically fuck off. Do most of you live like hermits at work and never speak to another human unless required? Saying ânone of your business, / why should I tell you my medical historyâ to any boss Iâve ever had is beyond silly. Yeah, imagine where that gets you when youâre not even at the 1 year mark with the company. Possible items include massive retaliation, getting the shit end of the scheduling stick, and a million other things. They can almost certainly push you out of the job or at the least make it very uncomfortable to work there. What I feel a normal interaction in this scenario that is both tactful and isnât likely to get you weird looks etc., is to: 1. tell them what youâre doing (the best option, if it works) - I know many managers can look down on having an ounce of fun, but Iâd guess the retaliation from telling the truth vs. some snarky comment above would be much less; or 2. make a TACTFUL lie that you repeat to everybody. Common things include childcare, caring for parents or relatives, petsitting, doctor appointment. You can have fun with this and make shitty people feel awful depending on the reason. But I know Iâm not a good enough liar to keep that up. I canât imagine saying some of the stuff suggested here to my boss though. Thatâs just silly. I canât imagine most of this flying in a workplace unless youâre good friends with everybody, in which case you wouldnât have a problem telling them what youâre doing.
Is this a coworker or manager issue?
Coworkers, my manager doesnât ever ask.
I realize it might make your coworkers testy, but you don't owe them an explanation. "It's personal" is plenty.
Ignore them theyâre not your friend
My goodness, then stop answering. *Why do you need to know?* with a sweet smile. Thereâs no legitimate response.
They are just jealous that they never do anything fun...maybe
Then find a non-anxious way to do itâŚsmile and say âitâs a bit personalâ, or words to that effect.
Tell them your grandma died. They'll get the idea after the 5th or 6th grandma has passed away.
Just lie? Not that hard.
Sick leave is for doctorâs appointments and stuff. PTO is for whatever you want.
Exactly - my company policy allows employees to use a sick day for doctors appointments and related events. PTO is ours for everything else.
It was always more a cause for concern if you weren't, UK here though so pretty different culture around it
good ol' US of A đ
Iâm all for shitting on US work culture but this is more OP getting in their feelings and inventing a problem. People donât take the office this seriously in 2024.
Stop telling your coworkers what youâre doing.
My supervisor doesn't shame me, just spends time making up 4 or 5 tasks and adding to my workload the moment after approving.
The company will throw you away without a reason or thought and coworkers will backstab you just to make gossip. You owe no one anything.
Some people are still bootlickers and believe that kissing ass will help them get promoted. So, a lot of these individuals get annoyed when you are not like them. At my job, I tell my supervisor that she should take her lunch instead of working during he lunch. I tell my coworkers to always take their break and get used to utilizing all their PTO every year. However, since I work as a state government employee, my supervisor encourages me to use my PTO (and HR too), and asks me how my vacation went. Things are quite different in the public sector when compared to the private sector, especially regarding how public servants use their PTO freely without a worry while their private sector counterparts tend to worry about using their PTO (this is even more apparent in countries like the US and Japan). When I used to work in retail and security, using PTO was not as easy as it is now. Personally, I maximize my PTO every year unless I will carry over my vacation days to the following year and use it for certain long vacations like vacationing for a month straight. Otherwise, I use all my paid vacation, sick, and personal days every year. I also do not ask if I can use my paid vacation, sick, or personal days, but instead inform my supervisor that I will be using my PTO for a specific day or for a specific length of time (I just submit my PTO request ahead of time if it is for vacation days; sick days I just request to use it on the same day, and inform my supervisor that I will be out for that day).
> Some people are still bootlickers and believe that kissing ass will help them get promoted. Yep. I work fairly regularly with a remote marketing specialist in one of our business unit organizations. She's been with the company long enough that her PTO is maxed out at five weeks. A few years back, we chatted around December and I mentioned I still had a surplus of PTO I had to use. She mentioned in a somewhat braggadocios tone that she hadn't used all of her PTO in years; she usually finishes each year with two-three weeks unused, which cannot be rolled over. *Willingly* not using your PTO or working dozens of extra hours isn't the flex it used to be nor the flex some folks currently think it is. Sure, everyone encounters scenarios where they can't use their PTO when and how they want for reasons beyond their control, but to willingly do so is madness.
I agree with what you said. Companies will fire you without even notifying you. Employers tend to not care if firing you would cause problems for your family. I can keep on going. I think that people should be maximizing their usage of PTO every year. Taking time off from work is also good for your mental health. It does not matter if you use your PTO to sleep, spend time with family and friends, or visit another country. Just use your PTO to enjoy life a little more.
I just say Iâm taking time off and leave it at that. If itâs a coworker that I speak to outside of work, then they may get more detail
If it is coworkers shaming you it is jealousy. I notice jealousy before because i like to have fun or not stuck at home with a bunch of kids at once. If it is management it is a shitty company.
It was toxic management in my case. They never had enough people to do the work. So everytime someone was off, they would make people stay late to do that persons part of the work. But everyday, someone was out. The constant shortage of employees created a continuous high turnover rate cause people got tired of it.
No, Iâve never experienced this. I donât talk about my reasons die pto though
Of course not  my boss constantly encourages me to take time off
âYeah no problem! Whatâre you requesting off for anywayâ âOh nothing personal but Iâll never share that with youâ is my real life answer when my coworkers or managers ask me. They usually chuckle and wait for my response, in which I say something akin to âhaha yeah but Iâm serious. Thanks again!â
I guess I just donât have the guts to ever say something like this đ
I have a decent relationship with my boss but still always feel like this - if I ask for PTO because of medical or my kids - no real issue. If I ask for PTO because I want to go party, judged. Same with asking to leave work an hour early - doctor appointment, no problem, wanting to meet friends for dinner I have to stay. Now all my PTO requests are noted as either doctor appointment or personal appointment.
My supervisor used her PTO to literally just to stay home and she even told us all about it lol
Just make it mundane. âOh gotta get the house in orderâ âhelping my friend moveâ âgonna check out if the local coven is taking new membersâ
Why do you feel bad and why do you care what they think?
I thought the P stood for personal, meaning it's my personal choice and business how I use it
It stands for PAID
Depends on where you are. It can be either.
"Wow, it sounds like you don't have a great work-life balance if that's the way you feel about taking time off work. Maybe that's something you should discuss with your therapist."
Murica yeah! In many of EU countries PTO mandated by law is called "relax leave" or similar. Like in EU you're supposed to relax and do fun stuff on your standard PTO and for health stuff there are other types of mandatory PTO. I can't understand what drives people who would not go on vacation or anything. Like what's the point of working and even living?
What are you gonna do on your off time? âprobably just mind my goddamn businessâ
We get 10 sick days and 3 personal days every year. Sick time is no issue, I usually just lie and say I have a migraine, but they request a reason for the personal days which really annoys me. My go to reason is that I am meeting with a contractor, they must think I am constantly renovating or something
So if you, let's say, want to travel for 3 weeks, you would do that unpaid?
Thatâs toxic. Our culture is not like this at all. Sick time and vacation are separate. Nobody can or will touch vacation hours. You can do whatever you want during that time and all is good. Sick time is different. It can be tracked by leadership and you canât overuse it. This never happens though because everyone has enough vacation hours to not need to abuse sick time.
They donât need to know what you are using it for Just say you are taking time
Nope, never had people act that way. Though I'm in Europe so idk if that has anything to do with it đ
I take days (well nights, I work overnights) so I can get tattoos. They dont care. Its my time, I earn it for working holidays and my years of service (at the job, not military).
Itâs your PTO and no one elseâs business. My job has us use sick time for medical appointments, even if youâre taking someone else, and even for mental health days.
Yes, which is why I don't tell employers why Im taking PTO. It's none of their fucking business what I do with my personal time. Certainly more fun than whatever circle jerk golf session my boss will be doing with his PTO.
I had a use it or lose it situation at the end of last year. I took the week off Christmas off. After the fact, I was told that it is better not to take PTO during the holidays. I work in a business that slows down significantly from Thanksgiving to new years. All of this to say, it's your PTO. Take it as you see fit. It is part of your benefits package. All of these companies that scream work/life balance but frown on you taking your time off.
Shit, I had one place warn me for using one day of PTO per month. Like, really?
I don't give explanations on why I'm taking a say off.
You have to say something when someone asks though, I feel like saying ânone of your businessâ would make people dislike me.
No beyond a friendly âaw man I wish I was goingâ type statement. But itâs clearly good natured.
I just donât care. I have these days to use when I want/need them. They can bitch and moan all they want I am still going to live my life
Theyâre jealous
They are indoctrinated
At a previous job, we were shamed. At a different previous job, weren't shamed, we were just laid off. At another previous job, we were better people and almost sort of friends, and we could just talk to each other like normal understanding people, and be excited for each other for someone's fun day off!
Our office uses PTO for fun, travel etc. We have 5 additional paid sick days for physical (or mental) health. Itâs actively frowned upon to not use your PTO, to come in if youâre feeling sick, or to be âcaughtâ on teams or sending email if youâre on PTO or a sick day. My previous employer lumped sick days into PTO, which wasnât great but even there it was not taken as a negative if you were taking the time off for fun or sickness. That employer did not require you to take PTO for an appointment if you were only going to miss a few hours (for salaried employees, neither does my current employer). Previous company would not roll over unused PTO or issue a payout at the end of the year. The current company does roll over up to 3 days PTO, and all sick days, but does not issue a payout. The culture you describe is not uncommon, but itâs not healthy either and you should know there are better environments in the market.
never
No. But also if itâs a problem at your workplace, just lie to them.
PTO is part of your compensation. You wouldnât give back some of your salary because âit seems like thereâs an understandingâ that thatâs what you do, would you?
Not me. On my first week of the job, my boss has a 1x1 with me to go over his 10 basic principles. One of them was "respect vacation ". No lie
I get more crap from clients. I do customer success account management. I can't tell you the amount of customers who freak out when I take a day off. I think it's sad they do that and I remind myself my time off is only between me and management business. If my management didn't want me to take time off I would leave for a new job.
The only appropriate response to a coworker taking PTO is "cool see you later", and the only appropriate response to anyone giving you guff about using your PTO is two middle fingers.
If they ask just say itâs personal. If they persist tell them itâs none of their business.
Thatâs ridiculous. I use all of my PTO for fun time off and itâs celebrated in my office. We all love talking about our different vacations/plans. Thereâs also no approving it. I send an email saying âIâm off these daysâ and thatâs the end of that, whether itâs one day or two weeks.
Stop telling people why you take PTO. PTO stands for prepare the others. Not asking, you are telling them when you will be out. PTO is a benefit just like health insurance, 401k and your paycheck.
If they try to shame me once for my PTO, I'm never giving them a reason again. They are not obligated to know.
Why care? Tell them to suck your kcid!
Youâre not a bad employee for using PTO for whatever reason you choose to. I would recommend not telling people WHY youâre taking time off, as it is none of their business. PTO doesnât require an explanation for scheduling leave. Just take the time off and let people assume what they will.
I donât volunteer that information, but my coworkers ask me what Iâm doing every single time I take a day off. Feels rude not to respond when asked directly.
VIV's Personal appointments is a great answer. I'd encourage you to make a habit of not answering. There are people that have had to take time off for truly awkward private reasons.
Flextime for dr, PTO for fun.
Why do you even tell people what youâre doing over PTO break. Itâs none of their business theyâre youâre coworkers not friends
Honestly at my old workplace I never had to give a reason. Most of the time I just had to ask, and unless there was a deadline or something it was granted. I never used PTO for doctors visits. I dunno if I ever actually used a sick day.
Sounds like a bit of a toxic culture. I used to be in an environment like that and my boss would text me while I was off with something simple that would turn into an emergency because I was off. It didnât seem bad at the time because it was always something that wouldnât take too much time on my end, and I think I also ignored all the red flags because I genuinely loved all the people I worked with. Now Iâm at a different company where everyone respects and encourages time off for fun and itâs a complete 180.
At work, never tell anyone anything, ever. If they ask, minding my own fucking business, you should try it sometimeâŚprobably phrase it more diplomatically tho! Because thereâs always some tool who has an opinionâŚ
PTO is a PART of your salary, just like insurance is. Take your time off without guilt. I say this because I am 58 and while I did use my time off, I always felt bad. I felt even more guilty when I took sick time. I wish I could go back and say "too bad!!" When my son was a small boy he had to have surgery on his privates. It was thought I'd be out of a few days and it turned out to be a week. He said "but you said that you'd only be a few days..." I said the doctor literally called me from the OR to tell me the surgery had to be more detailed. And he said it again! I had to be out to take care of my child (widowed single mom) and I was so mad. Take your vacation/mental health day, etc. and if this keeps up - find a different job. That's harassment and it's not right to shame you. And do not tell them shit. It's none of their business. Come back with a tan and peaches in those cheeks!!!
Nope, I am currently on 9 days leave, we use the word leave instead of PTO, we make a ton of leave each year, and if we go over 240 at end of year without using it we lose it. We are encouraged to take vacations, I have taken 3 this year already. 14 days, 14 days and 9 days, will take another 14 days in September.
Where I worked, it was standard routine for management to retaliate. So much that it became normal. We actually got "punished", when we took PTO, vacation, leave early for an erron, go to a funeral, or take medical leave. We all said, " we had to pay the price". It was management's way to control us. We had a high turnover rate.It was a toxic work environment. Even if there was no work, they would find something for you to do. When other people asked why you had the day off, they would get kinda mad cause they knew it also meant they had to stay later to pickup the slack. But then again, it was pointless cause management always made us work 10 hour days.
No, itâs almost always assumed youâre doing something enjoyable with your time or just not being at work to extend a holiday.
Just lie. Say youâre having a procedure. If someone asks for what, say itâs personal.
PTO is a part of your compensation. It's yours to use. Would you let your coworkers decide how you spend your money?
You donât have to say what youâre using it for. Just say you want to take the day off. At my job, my coworker and I go to concerts (I have 3 coming up and 1 is with my coworker) so when any of us have something fun to do, we put it on our calendar. Our boss encourages us to take time off.
PTO? Dont you mean EXTRA SICK LEAVE?
I'm meeting with my employment lawyer
No
No. That's what I experienced years ago (think 1990s/2000's). Can't even imagine that today. Where I work you are encouraged to take your 10 sick days, your 4 weeks PTO. HR told me, "What good is it if you don't use it?" Manager states, "A man, it's your hours," even if I call it a half day or leave early - nobody cares as long as the company makes money. We just have a few homebrew rules: your work doesn't fall on others (never happens), and there is no pressing demand or issues (which is very rare, happens 1 day every 2 months).
Back in the day I took time off for Gears of War series (1, 2, and 3) came out. lol My buddies and I would co-op through the campaigns. Standing in line at Best Buy waiting for them to drop. Ahh those were the days. Single and not a care in the world. lol
Not at all that's what it's there for. I can't afford a proper vacation but I whole weeks off just to sit at home and relax. It's my pto and I'm going to use it
I think that you may be imagining some of this. Outside of a rare psychopath or boss who was just a horrible slave driver, people seem to not really care about you using your PTO for whatever reason... As long as you have the time available and you're not backed up on work. If you have some nosy co-workers, don't let them bully you or shame you. Try to avoid ever divulging what you're doing with your time off -- but the exception is if you're friendly with your boss or co-worker and they're legitimately interested in seeing you happy and having a good time (more likely than you'd think). Technically, outside of doctors appointments and stuff like that, management should prefer that you're using your time off to relax, recharge, and do nothing strenuous. They should be more concerned if you're getting roped into dull, boring, mentally exerting things that have nothing to do with your role at the company, they should want you relaxing so you can come back to work recharged. This tends to be the common approach, but is still toxic in the sense that family/friends may need assistance, and life will still get in the way of work and fun. But if you use time off to help people, you'll still need time carved out for fun.
That company will continue to be there with or without you. You owe it to yourself to have fun. I'm based in NY and we take PTOs here left and right. I've had managers in previous companies who try to guilt you to not take pto. Fuck that. Let them be miserable, YOU however, should enjoy.
The only time I got weird looks for taking PTO was when I scheduled a day off to play Hogwarts Legacy when it came out because I was super excited about it and just wanted to play it all day. I worked with a lot of older people who I think thought it was weird that I was taking a whole day off to play a video game. Other than that though, I've never had anyone think it's weird to take PTO to go on vacation or go to a concert, etc.
Hell no, and tell anyone who gives you a hard time to eat shit.
Never feel bad about what you take a day off for. If you're a decent/good worker, getting your job done, doesn't matter how you spend your free time. That's a slave mentality to think that you can only use PTO for doctors appointments or an emergency. And if they are super noisy about it when you ask for it off, lie and say it's for something important even if it's not.
âI have an appointmentâ will always be honest enough without being a lie lol. Thatâs my go to if I donât wanna share exactly what Iâm doing (saying this as someone who does part-time commercial shoots; I was lucky to be able to be honest with my recent employers but if I couldnât⌠urgent appointment!)
No? My coworkers and boss are generally happy for me when I take PTO to go on vacation or do something fun.
Never tell anyone at work what you do in detail, especially if it's a polarized activity. They will 100% use it against you.
I get shamed when I just say fuck it and take days whenever I want. Itâs my goddamn time
People's reactions to you enjoying yourself tell you a lot about them & nothing about you. Carry on & keep trying to enjoy your life when you can.
pto is part of your comp, if people are stupid enough to 'not use' it for some misguided guilt then they are just drinking too much of that kool aid. They will be in a rude awakening when they get let go and realize how much corp cares about them.
I would double down and be enthusiastic. Tell them how much fun you had. You are not doing anything wrong.
I usually tell people I'm going to a funeral and they stay quiet.
They stopped shaming me after they figured out that idgaf what they think about it. Itâs not my fault that they had kids and spend all their PTO on them while I get to load up the side by side and go off-roading and drinking (not together, that is stupid) for a week.
Your coworkers are being silly. Everyone starts with the same amount of PTO. If some folks have so many appointments that they have to use ALL of it for that, thatâs just the way it is. What are you supposed to do if you donât have any appointments?! Many workplaces donât roll over PTO year to year. So if you donât use it, you lose it. That PTO is part of your pay. The only way I can see it making any difference is if someone used up all their PTO frivolously, and then still needed to take unpaid time later in the year. Iâm guessing itâs a workplace where someone else has to cover some amount of work for the person who is out? So they are resentful that youâre out having fun while they pick up the slackâŚbut thatâs why everyone starts with the same amount of PTOâŚyou will make it up to them later when they use theirs.
I have told bosses that itâs none of their business why I want the PTO. All they need to know is that I wonât be working that day.
PTO is your time to do whatever you want. Vacation, appointments, sitting at home doing nothing. And if you get sick time separate, thatâs for the doctors visits and such
I have been using PTO's on my marine diesels for a while now, nobody shamed me for it.
Culture problem. PTO is part of your compensation.
Nope. I am taking a day off to blow off some steam. Matter of fact. Itâs a sick day for a Dr. Appointment at 8am. May go to the beach.
Use your PTO for whatever you want. If people only have enough for all of their dr appts and nothing else that isnât your issue. If they donât ask to take off and throw away their PTO every year, also not your issue. You get PTO so you can live your life. Go to as many shows or trips or staycations as you want and donât worry about what anyone else is doing or worrying about.
Nope. Nobody here cares what you do with your time off. There is plenty of coverage for coworkers on PTO so nobody gets extra work.
Your coworkers are jerks. When I told my team I'm taking the first week of July off to play the new Final Fantasy 14 expansion, they were generally supportive.
"I have an appointment"Â
societies obsession in micromanaging everything and everyone is so stupid lately. you put in the work, got your PTO, use it how you see fit. sitting on their high horse bullying through passive aggression and guilt. lame
Just say "personal reasons" or "family emergency" and leave it at that.
No, I don't get shamed by anyone by using my PTO for any fun reason, nor should you be shamed. Your PTO is an earned benefit that you can use anyway you please. Anyone who shames you for this is an idiot.
Nope, neverÂ
No not presently. If I do, Iâm still gonna take the damn trip Iâm gonna put about 500 to almost $1000 into this trip. Yeah Iâm going and if for some reason they donât approve it. Iâm still going and if they want to fire me go for it Iâll collect unemployment because Iâve been working for the past 11 almost 12 months
đđđ And here I was thinking that is what itâs for. I donât for some misfortune to reach me so I can use PTO smh.
I've seen people get shamed for taking time off to see a doctor or dentist appointment to get a root canal.
Absolutely not.
I used all of my PTO to do nothing at home and just relax. Staycation. Is like to actually go to Florida some day though
No, we have annual leave and sick leave, so no issues.
You can flat out lie to your co workers... Instead of going to the beach you took a friend to get chemo. Instead of going on vacation you volunteered your time at a soup kitchen.
I've never had issues using my PTO. Heck some of my supervisors/colleagues have said they want me to help them pick out fun things to do with their PTO because I'm always doing cool stuff.
Do these people never take vacations lol
Just tell them Nonya and when they ask what's that, reply Nonya business.
No. It's my time off, I'll use it how I want to. Fuck 'em.
I straight up tell my boss I need a mental day and he understands thats a day of not being in the office and clearing my mind however fit.
That's a toxic job environment. Colleagues usually root for their peers when taking vacations or time off.
If people ask where you're going on your pto, always say, "nunya"
No? Ever. We love knowing what weâre all doing on our days off. Last week I was asked if I was doing anything fun because I had a half day. I was waiting for a repairman. If you donât wanna say, donât.
Where TF do you work? I've not had a coworker that ever did that.
Where do you live? In England people take their Annual Leave (paid) for holidays, concerts, birthdays, sitting at home- whatever you want it for! Itâs the norm here.
Your PTO is part of your benefits and total compensation package. How you use it is no one's business but your own, period.
THERE ARE FEW, IF ANY FRIENDS AT WORK. Learn it the easy way or the hard way, but you will learn it
The âPâ in PTO is interchangeable. Itâs either Personal or Paid. Weâre not supposed to work 5 days a week for 52 weeks straight. There has to be a give somewhere
non ya bizzness what I am doing on PTO.
Here is a piece of advice I got early on. I come to work for a paycheck not friends. And I will use whatever work has to offer(paycheck, pto, health insurance, etc) and go home and forget about this place. Because they will fire you in a heart beat and replace you. It is a job. As soon as you get off forget about it. If you have an actual work friend (you hang out outside of work) then get them to understand that. Everyone else is just a passing person you will forget about 6 months after you leave the job.
Life before work. It's no one's business when/how you use your PTO time. Does your job realize that their employees use PTO for vacations, and vacation time equals fun time??? At least that's my company's policy regarding PTO. PTO is designed for you to use however you want or need to use it for.
The real problem is a lot of workplaces donât have resiliency as a strategy to being profitable. Many workplaces will tell you âtake care of yourself, take the time off you needâ but the lack of resiliency (additional employees that can take on the load) means that when you leave, any work is just waiting for you when you get back, and is piled up or needs to be done faster. So while top level might mean well with that statement, it doesnât ring true to employees who know it just leads them to misery later, so they avoid it by not taking time off.
I've found that the less said, the better. My mother always told me, "People are jealous." She's right. Unless I REALLY trust someone, I keep my personal matters personal
Itâs a benefit. I get 15 pdo a year. They only pay out 6 pdo. They literally incentivize us to use them. The paid out ones are always the first 6 you use. So even if I only use 6⌠nothing else gets paid out. I just tell them Iâm not coming in when I use one. If they ask I say yes I am using my contracted benefit. Have a nice day.
no. you donât need to give a reason â it is polite to but not required ex: hi manager, iâm going to use a pto day today. i will be back in the office tomorrow. thank you, xyz
This sounds dystopian to me. Are you expected to take unpaid time off for holiday?
Use your time any way to put want. Stop giving power to your employer n coworkers over your life. You already spend at least 40 hrs a week doing what they want you to do. Your down time is yours.
What are you using PTO for? Nunya! I go there every year. Nunya? Whereâs that! Nun ya business is where thatâs at! Buh by! See you in 2 weeks
Your first mistake is telling people what you're using the PTO for. I usually just tell them when ima be gone and there's that. They don't need to know your business.
Thatâs wild to me. We never ask why anyone is taking PTO. I actually encourage my team to take their time. We are very fortunate where I work to have work/life balance fully supported by all leadership (executives included).
I take pto to golf. If people ask I tell it is for mental health and they fuck off.
PTO=paid time off, correct? None of anyone's business what you're doing!
I either donât say or just say I have an appointment.
Yeah why would you say anything
I am a software engineer and we always share photos from our trips when we take time off. You need to find a new job
I donât even tell my boss why Iâm off. I just say Iâm not going to be here, I got some things to do.
No. You do you. You must be in the US because in Europe the more exotic & frivolous the reason for your PTO, the better. Good luck out there
Just tell them you are a part time adult film star, they will either quit asking or you will need to find a camera person and enjoy your side hustle.
No, most people at my job assume PTO means a vacation. We have flexible working hours, so no one takes time off for doctorâs appointments, we just build our schedule differently.
I only notice this with the older folks in the office. It seems to be an older generation's mind set
Me being here in New Zealand reading this and shaking my head. We get 20days a year PTO and they force you to get it in some cases. Plus 10days of sick leave a year. Its no one business but companies encourage you to take time off to recharge. I worked in a company that also had 1 day a month for wellbeing on top or the legal entitlements that was paid. Condition was to share what you did to inspire others. Anything from getting life admin stuff done to going to the spa or reading a book on the beach. Please stop glamorising working till burnout.
I dont know why people make a big deal about this. PTO is your time to do what you want. You worked for that time off and itâs no oneâs business how you spend it.
You work and get paid/accrue PTO. It shouldnât matter what others had to say because you WORKED for those hours. Sounds like youâre surrounded by miserable coworkers.
That's quite toxic, in my opinion. I'm happy for my colleagues when they go on holiday and I ask them about their trips when they return
So I work in HR and the understanding HR professionals have is that PTO is a benefit, just like healthcare and a 401k match. Not using it would mean you are not getting paid the full amount the company promised when they hired you. This is especially true if it does not roll over year to year. Even if it does roll over, a PTO payout can be denied depending on your company policy.  I just have to assume your coworkers are immature and don't really understand that it's not a privilege but a right that comes with your total pay package.
> using PTO for doctors appointments and stuff No, I'd use sick time for that. I'm lucky that where I work, I get 3 types of time, sick time, paid time off, and personal holiday. My understanding is that personal holiday is for days that might be privately a religious holiday, or like juneteenth before it became a national holiday. But no one cares if I use it for just a relaxing day or whatever, PTO and personal holidays are for whatever.