Minor things that bother you

[Scott5114]

For full time employment, two weeks is fairly standard.

It very much depends on the industry and region. Two weeks was not at all standard in Oklahoma, especially in more service-oriented or blue-collar positions.

[jeffandnicole]

For full time employment, two weeks is fairly standard.

It very much depends on the industry and region. Two weeks was not at all standard in Oklahoma, especially in more service-oriented or blue-collar positions.

It definitely will matter based on the type of job, along with longevity at the job.

I want to say more than two weeks is the norm at many employers...but you have to work for it.  In many office/corporate environments, those workers are likely to get upwards of 4 weeks a year...but with 20+ years of service.  Since people often move from job to job after short periods of time, they often don't get the max vacation time an office has to offer.  Being that has been the trend of late, many people aren't getting more than 2 weeks vacation because a job to them is just a brief period in their overall career.  The moment they start a job, they're looking for another job.

At my job, I get 5 weeks.  I was there for 21 years before I got that.  It's a government job.  Pay is, on average, lower than other similar jobs.  So they make up for it with other benefits, including vacation time.  I can carry over 1 year's worth of time. Over the years, I took less than my maximum each year to build up the bank.  Now, I start with 50 days per year.  I take 25, and roll over the other 25. 

No, I don't take 5 weeks worth of trips a year. Some days are used to swim in the pool.  Some are used as half days to leave early.  Some are used to relax.  But staying at one job wasn't by accident. I have my lifestyle, and I decided that extra time off was better than looking around for other jobs every 5 - 10 years. 

The most I took off at one time was 2.5 weeks, which was for a long trip...and that's when I only got 15 days a year.  A holiday fell during the trip, so that cut out one day I had to use.  I don't think I've taken off 2 weeks straight for over 10 years.

When I retire, I get paid for unused vacation days.  I could, in theory, not take a vacation day my entire final year, and get paid for all 50 days.  Or I could decide that this year, I'll use all 50 days, and not carry over any to next year.  Or...if I were to get sick, I could use up my accumulated sick time...then use up my vacation time...and still get 100% pay. 

[Takumi]

When you're watching a show on a streaming service, finish an episode, and close the streamer between episodes, and when you open the streaming service again, it didn't register that you finished the previous episode and wants you to start at the last few minutes of that episode.

[7/8]

Meanwhile, I get five weeks a year from my employer. 

Wow. That is verging on "too much of a good thing" especially if you have to use it or lose it every year.

Even if you don't use it travelling, wouldn't you enjoy making 3-day weekends to relax at home? I've been at 3 weeks of vacation since starting my job (currently 7 years in now) and still have 3 more years to earn a fourth week. It feels like forever, and I'm incredibly jealous of the largest list of countries with 4 or 5 weeks minimum (the way it should be!).

I am grateful that sick leave is separate from vacation where I work, so I can use my "unlimited" sick time for medical appointments and illness. It's pretty bullshit that many places combine that with vacation, or only give a few sick days a year.

[Max Rockatansky]

Three weeks?  I can't stand sitting at home for three days. 

[LilianaUwU]

This thread about complaining getting extremely close to surpass Road Sign UNO as the thread with the most replies bothers me.

[webny99]

For full time employment, two weeks is fairly standard.

It very much depends on the industry and region. Two weeks was not at all standard in Oklahoma, especially in more service-oriented or blue-collar positions.

It definitely will matter based on the type of job, along with longevity at the job.

I agree with all of that. But I do still think that full time vs. part time is perhaps the most important distinction of all, in that it's unlikely that a true 40 hour, full-time position would offer less than two weeks. Especially for anyone with multiple years of service.

But I'm not denying that it may vary somewhat by region too. New York state mandates a week of sick leave, so even if the employer only offers one additional week of PTO, the employee still has two weeks to work with in practice.

[Rothman]

Three weeks?  I can't stand sitting at home for three days. 

I hate staycations in general.  Holidays turned out like that this past year and it was "okay."

[webny99]

Meanwhile, I get five weeks a year from my employer. 

Wow. That is verging on "too much of a good thing" especially if you have to use it or lose it every year.

Even if you don't use it travelling, wouldn't you enjoy making 3-day weekends to relax at home? I've been at 3 weeks of vacation since starting my job (currently 7 years in now) and still have 3 more years to earn a fourth week. It feels like forever, and I'm incredibly jealous of the largest list of countries with 4 or 5 weeks minimum (the way it should be!).

If I'm going to take time off, I would actually much rather have it be for something specific, like bucket list travel or a family gathering or trip or whatever. Finding things to do around home beyond essential stuff just isn't my thing. Meanwhile, my work is pretty much unlimited and I really enjoy my job, so I'd rather be at work getting things done than hanging out at home without specific plans. Although, I do enjoy spending more time away from work outdoors in the summer and fall, and my employer does offer an extra day off around most of the major holidays.

[Plutonic Panda]

This thread about complaining getting extremely close to surpass Road Sign UNO as the thread with the most replies bothers me.

THANK YOU. I really really regret posting in this thread. Well, being on topic I should it's a minor thing that bothers me.

[Max Rockatansky]

I don't think that I've ever even opened up the Road Sign Uno thread.

[kphoger]

Meanwhile, I get five weeks a year from my employer. 

Wow. That is verging on "too much of a good thing" especially if you have to use it or lose it every year.

I should mention that I've stepped up to that amount over the years.  It's the most I'll get, but I certainly didn't get it right away.

Several years ago, they capped the carryover to 80 hours.  A year or two ago, they dropped it to 40 hours.  And it's use it or lose it.  I don't remember the exact number but I think I used about 95 hours of PTO in just the last three months of 2024, in order to get under 40 hours of carryover.

Even if you don't use it travelling, wouldn't you enjoy making 3-day weekends to relax at home?

No.  Most of my tasks at work are daily.  On Monday, I have two extra days' worth of work to do, just because of the weekend.  Plus, if I don't do my daily task by noon on Friday, then our company gets paid a week late for a whole day's worth of routes we ran.  And every other Monday, I have to get stuff ready for payroll, which my boss closes out ASAP on Tuesday.  So, suffice to say, I hate three-day weekends.  When I need to use up a bunch of PTO, I prefer taking Tuesdays and/or Thursdays off.

I hate staycations in general.  Holidays turned out like that this past year and it was "okay."

If it's the Christmas holiday, then I don't mind it, because there are a bunch of new movies and games and stuff that everyone opened up as presents.  And holiday leftovers.  But that's mainly just "staying home", not a "staycation".

My parents live nearby.  One year, the five of us and my parents and my sister and her husband all planned to go to the Lake of the Ozarks for vacation.  But my dad hurt his back so badly that we couldn't go.  Instead, we did a staycation:  restaurants, special meals to cook at home, mini golf and bowling with everyone except Dad, games to play at the house—the same sort of things we typically do on vacation.  That wasn't bad.

If I'm going to take time off, I would actually much rather have it be for something specific, like bucket list travel or a family gathering or trip or whatever. Finding things to do around home beyond essential stuff just isn't my thing. Meanwhile, my work is pretty much unlimited and I really enjoy my job, so I'd rather be at work getting things done than hanging out at home without specific plans. Although, I do enjoy spending more time away from work outdoors in the summer and fall, and my employer does offer an extra day off around most of the major holidays.

Yeah, I need a reason to take off work.  If I don't have a reason, then I'd rather be doing my job.  And I'm not the kind of guy who does chores on his day off, either.

Also, my house is full of other people's kids during the day.  My office is full of adults.  No contest.

[kkt]

For full time employment, two weeks is fairly standard.

It very much depends on the industry and region. Two weeks was not at all standard in Oklahoma, especially in more service-oriented or blue-collar positions.

It definitely will matter based on the type of job, along with longevity at the job.

I want to say more than two weeks is the norm at many employers...but you have to work for it.  In many office/corporate environments, those workers are likely to get upwards of 4 weeks a year...but with 20+ years of service.  Since people often move from job to job after short periods of time, they often don't get the max vacation time an office has to offer.  Being that has been the trend of late, many people aren't getting more than 2 weeks vacation because a job to them is just a brief period in their overall career.  The moment they start a job, they're looking for another job.

At my job, I get 5 weeks.  I was there for 21 years before I got that.  It's a government job.  Pay is, on average, lower than other similar jobs.  So they make up for it with other benefits, including vacation time.  I can carry over 1 year's worth of time. Over the years, I took less than my maximum each year to build up the bank.  Now, I start with 50 days per year.  I take 25, and roll over the other 25. 

No, I don't take 5 weeks worth of trips a year. Some days are used to swim in the pool.  Some are used as half days to leave early.  Some are used to relax.  But staying at one job wasn't by accident. I have my lifestyle, and I decided that extra time off was better than looking around for other jobs every 5 - 10 years. 

The most I took off at one time was 2.5 weeks, which was for a long trip...and that's when I only got 15 days a year.  A holiday fell during the trip, so that cut out one day I had to use.  I don't think I've taken off 2 weeks straight for over 10 years.

When I retire, I get paid for unused vacation days.  I could, in theory, not take a vacation day my entire final year, and get paid for all 50 days.  Or I could decide that this year, I'll use all 50 days, and not carry over any to next year.  Or...if I were to get sick, I could use up my accumulated sick time...then use up my vacation time...and still get 100% pay. 

My leave as a state employee was similar.  Sick time, which could be used for doctor's appointments and to take care of sick immediate family members, accumulated from year to year with no limit.  If you were reasonably healthy for several years you would probably have enough to cover even a long illness.  In annual leave we could not carry over more than 30 work days from one year to the next and long vacations needed to be approved in advance to avoid scheduling issues.  There was also one floating vacation day - the original idea was we'd get our birthday off, but it was expanded first for religious holidays that didn't have their own state holiday, and then made able to be used anytime provided it was approved in advance and it didn't carry over from one year to the next.  As a new employee the leave was 12 working days per year, and that gradually increased to about five weeks per year after many years.  Some could also be used for extended lunches or leaving early if we just wanted a break and the schedule permitted.  Yes, fairly generous vacations compared to the private sector, because public sector salaries lagged behind.

[vdeane]

I mean, I get three calendar weeks (so just over four work weeks) of vacation a year, but in practice it goes really fast and how much I can use it for roadgeeking is limited.  I have a hard time understanding people who have a hard time using up all their time, but then I do have a couple things working against me: my family lives in Rochester so I have to travel for every family gathering, and my ADHD means that I tend to use more time than most just to keep myself from getting even more exhausted than I already do whenever I do extensive driving or otherwise disrupt my routine.  Even excluding wedding-related stuff, just the normal family gatherings alone take up 14-15 days of vacation, especially as I refuse to travel back on the peak travel days for some holidays (especially July 4 and Labor Day).  That gives me just a small handful of days for literally everything else (and my parents started spending a week up in the Thousand Islands again the past couple years, so I joined them last year and plan to again this year; I don't get out on the water nearly often enough).

Now, the two floating holidays we get and my personal leave help to offset this somewhat, but I can't use all my personal for vacation since that's also what I use to get time off for haircuts and car maintenance.  At least I can use sick for anything medical (a couple people have tried to convince me that I can use sick for my "recovery days" after trips, but I'm skeptical of that).

[Scott5114]

This thread about complaining getting extremely close to surpass Road Sign UNO as the thread with the most replies bothers me.

If it makes you feel any better, it's 50% people saying things that bother them and 50% people saying that those things shouldn't bother them.

[Plutonic Panda]

This thread about complaining getting extremely close to surpass Road Sign UNO as the thread with the most replies bothers me.

If it makes you feel any better, it's 50% people saying things that bother them and 50% people saying that those things shouldn't bother them.

Don't forget about the other 50% of the people saying things that don't bother them kinda bother them but don't really bother them.

[wanderer2575]

When MDOT (Michigan) allows or even specifies wrong-width sign covers for roadwork projects.

[webny99]

Wow. That is verging on "too much of a good thing" especially if you have to use it or lose it every year.

I should mention that I've stepped up to that amount over the years.  It's the most I'll get, but I certainly didn't get it right away.

Yeah, I figured it must be tiered. There's a whole bunch of reasons why an employer most likely wouldn't give out five weeks right away, the most obvious being the risk of the employee taking five weeks off and then leaving the company.

I have a hard time understanding people who have a hard time using up all their time

By the way, I should clarify that I am not one of those people. I only have three weeks, two less than kphoger. And that's a very workable amount for me. I'd be more than OK with having another week for flexibility, but having another two weeks would likely cause me to end up with too much to use/roll over in most years.

At least I can use sick for anything medical (a couple people have tried to convince me that I can use sick for my "recovery days" after trips, but I'm skeptical of that).

Unless your employer has super detailed sick reporting requirements, I would agree with those people that there is no practical reason why that would be a risk. The only risk would be that it may be a violation of your own honesty and integrity, and of course, I fully understand and respect being unwilling to do it from that perspective. But unfortunately, I see way more egregious uses of sick time than that all the time.

I am grateful that sick leave is separate from vacation where I work, so I can use my "unlimited" sick time for medical appointments and illness.

I should add that I also agree with this. I don't necessarily agree that sick time needs to be unlimited, but providing at least a week (which is mandated here in New York state) and keeping it separate from regular vacation is a good baseline.

[kphoger]

Meanwhile, I get five weeks a year from my employer. 

Wow. That is verging on "too much of a good thing" especially if you have to use it or lose it every year.

I should mention that I've stepped up to that amount over the years.  It's the most I'll get, but I certainly didn't get it right away.

Several years ago, they capped the carryover to 80 hours.  A year or two ago, they dropped it to 40 hours.  And it's use it or lose it.  I don't remember the exact number but I think I used about 95 hours of PTO in just the last three months of 2024, in order to get under 40 hours of carryover.

I just dug through my paper recycling box and found the sheet where I kept track.  Between November 25 and December 31 last year, I took exactly 95 hours of PTO.  Let me tell you, the hours I actually worked were jam-packed!

I have a hard time understanding people who have a hard time using up all their time

Shall I assume, then, that you aren't the only one who knows how to do your job?  My process changes bit by bit over time, adjusting to needs.  So, while my closest co-worker knows the gist of how to do at least part of my job, I still have to train her for a couple of days anytime she needs to cover for me.  And there are other tasks that she doesn't know how to do.  And my boss doesn't know how to do any of my job.

[SEWIGuy]

I have a hard time understanding people who have a hard time using up all their time,

When I had time to keep track of, it is mostly because my wife has less days than I do. And I don't really mind working, so outside of taking a day here or there, I am certainly not taking an entire week off to sit around while she's at work. And banking them to pay out later isn't a bad "severence" either.

[Max Rockatansky]

I do so much stuff on my days off that I often forget to take enough annual leave.  The solution is to use an extra day every week for a period of time to get the balance manageable again.

[1995hoo]

Three weeks?  I can't stand sitting at home for three days. 

I hate staycations in general.  Holidays turned out like that this past year and it was "okay."

I unexpectedly got nine days off at Christmastime this past year. Had we had more advanced notice, we might have tried to go somewhere, but by the time I got the time off (which I hadn't requested), it was too late. Staying home wasn't bad at all, though. I got a lot of extra sleep that was just plain rejuvenating. And we didn't have to make arrangements for someone to feed our cat and scoop her litterbox, which would have been hard to do on short notice.

[Max Rockatansky]

I had an unexpected ten day hiatus from work in November 2022 due to a COVID ROM.  While I got a lot done and did savor not having to deal with Black Friday it got boring pretty quickly.  I was back to exercising outside and in my garage after two days when my symptoms lessened.

[JayhawkCO]

I have unlimited time off. I don't take advantage, but probably take 4 weeks worth over the year. The longest I take at any given time is two weeks, and even for my upcoming trip to Africa, I planned it over Juneteenth so I'm only missing nine days of work.

[LilianaUwU]

This thread about complaining getting extremely close to surpass Road Sign UNO as the thread with the most replies bothers me.

If it makes you feel any better, it's 50% people saying things that bother them and 50% people saying that those things shouldn't bother them.

The AARoads Forum experience, everybody.