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"Unlimited" vacation time is so bizarre to me, it almost seems like a scam to me. Obviously it's not legally binding, otherwise a malicious employee could not w

by anyfoo 5y ago

"Unlimited" vacation time is so bizarre to me, it almost seems like a scam to me. Obviously it's not legally binding, otherwise a malicious employee could not work a single day and legally not face repercussions. But in Germany at least, vacation days are a matter of law. The number of days per year is part of the contract, and there is a strict minimum of 24 days (at least in Bavaria). It is as far as I know not legal to prevent people from exhausting their allocated vacation days within the full year, a couple of years ago a court decided that employers have to remind employees when they risk expiring their vacation days after a year. So I guess anyone who has "unlimited" vacation time does not actually have unlimited vacation time, but the opposite: The legal minimum of mandated vacation time, with the option to get additional time on top if the employer agrees. Effectively, any person who even just has one day more than the legal minimum, but fixed, has more right to take time off than someone with "unlimited" vacation!

bradlys 5y ago
Unlimited vacation time can be better than what some companies offer as standard. In the US, two weeks (or none) is the norm. 3 weeks is decent. 4 weeks is considered exceptional. (You might even get some holidays too) The standard amount in the US basically just sucks and there’s almost no employer offering European levels of time off as a standard. Unlimited is where you suddenly can hit 5+ weeks if you get the right manager. But - again - depends on your manager and your relationship with them. I’ve personally never had much of an issue taking 5+ weeks every year at my places of employment but I use whatever position I have to the best of my abilities. (And sometimes I get 6+ weeks in a year, very uncommon)
- steveBK123 5y ago
  I work in an industry where 4-5 weeks off plus federal holidays and sick days is not uncommon for senior engineers. What I have found is that "unlimited" actually works the opposite as it's more of a thing you have to ask for. With an amount spelled out it feels more like a fixed allocation you are entitled to and that you are deducting from. If you have the wrong manager (and good luck sniffing this out in interviews), it turns into a competition of who can use the least.
biztos 5y ago
I agree, and I also found the "no rollover" rule in Germany quite helpful. You have your very nice vacation allotment and you must take it or you will lose it and your manager may get a talking-to. In many companies you are even required to take at least two vacations of at least one week each in any given year: the whole point of the vacation is to prevent you burning out.

by anyfoo 5y ago

bradlys 5y ago

Unlimited vacation time can be better than what some companies offer as standard. In the US, two weeks (or none) is the norm. 3 weeks is decent. 4 weeks is considered exceptional. (You might even get some holidays too) The standard amount in the US basically just sucks and there’s almost no employer offering European levels of time off as a standard. Unlimited is where you suddenly can hit 5+ weeks if you get the right manager. But - again - depends on your manager and your relationship with them. I’ve personally never had much of an issue taking 5+ weeks every year at my places of employment but I use whatever position I have to the best of my abilities. (And sometimes I get 6+ weeks in a year, very uncommon)

steveBK123 5y ago
I work in an industry where 4-5 weeks off plus federal holidays and sick days is not uncommon for senior engineers. What I have found is that "unlimited" actually works the opposite as it's more of a thing you have to ask for. With an amount spelled out it feels more like a fixed allocation you are entitled to and that you are deducting from. If you have the wrong manager (and good luck sniffing this out in interviews), it turns into a competition of who can use the least.

biztos 5y ago

I agree, and I also found the "no rollover" rule in Germany quite helpful. You have your very nice vacation allotment and you must take it or you will lose it and your manager may get a talking-to. In many companies you are even required to take at least two vacations of at least one week each in any given year: the whole point of the vacation is to prevent you burning out.