Vacation policy question
I got more information on the vacation policy for a company at which I have an offer. Since I will be starting mid year the company will let me accrue 3.5 days of vacation for the first six months of employment and at the end of six months I will get 5 days of vacation. As of the first of the year I will then qualify for a generous vacation policy. I have experience with the vacation policies for several large/multinational companies. Most of these companies let new hires take time off and and only worry about their not having banked vacation time if the person is fired or quits before they actually have the vacation time on the books. Keep in mind these are mid/senior level exempt roles. Six months just seems likes a long time to go with only 3.5 days of vacation; especially since I will be relocating for this role. I would expect that I will need to take time off to deal with the sale of my current home and purchase of a new home. I don't relish taking that as unpaid leave. Would you try to negotiate 1-2 paid "real estate" days?
Nope. Those 3.5 days are supposed to account for that. You've got a great vacation program after the first of the year, I wouldn't quibble now.
Tess
I'd give it a try. Are they paying your travel expenses to go back and close on your old house? I got a couple of days along with the travel expenses, but that was part of their standard relo deal. Sounds OK to me. Every place I have worked pro-rated vacation accruals AND usually restricted vacations until after the first six months. If you're otherwise pleased with this job opportunity, I would not rock the boat trying to negotiate a couple of extra vacation days or, as you put it, "real estate" days, particularly since you'll qualify for the generous vacation policy in less than a year. Don't forget that there are a few paid holidays sprinkled in there, too. It makes no sense to me to put this job at risk over a day or two of additional paid time off. If you have to take that much time to relocate, in good faith, I honestly think you should take them as unpaid days off. Paul W. Barada The Negotiation Expert
I guess I don't understand why you would consider one day to close on my current home and a day to close on my new home that are 100 miles apart "excessive". Keep in mind finding someone with my skills in that geographical area is very difficult. The fact that I want to move there and am doing so on my own dime is really a bonus for them. I had a new hire ask me with a straight face whether we would pay them during the two week vacation they were taking a week after they started. I've had a new hire ask if we will pack their house and then stop on the way to pack up their girlfriends house. Considering what I have had people ask for 2 days does not seem outrageous to me.
You moved on your own dime, what's wrong with you? The packing and moving aren't even taxable!
You asked what we thought and we told you. The fact that you asked for opinions here first before just going ahead and asking your new boss about it does indicate that you just might think that it won't go over all that well. It is certainly your choice how to proceed.
Tess Six months with 3.5 days of vacation time plus any holidays that fall within that timeframe doesn't sound all that bad. There are still companies that give only 1 week of vacation--yes, even to upper-level personnel--after one year... The package you are describing sounds pretty standard, if not overly generous, to me.... I can certainly understand that you will likely need additional time to complete your relocation (having relocated myself). However, since you moved on your own dime, I would not be surprised if you are allowed paid "personal" days to do this--do you not have any other PTO benefits at this company other than vacation? Surely they must offer either sick or personal days? If not, I would offer to take the needed time off without pay, and be fully prepared to do so. However, they might let you take them as paid time off. But you should not ask, you should see if they offer.... And, you do not need to be present to close on the sale of your current home--you can sign a limited POA, either to the real-estate attorney handling the closing for you, your realty agent, the settlement company, or a trusted relative. Just make sure you review the HUD-1 prior to closing to make sure the figures are correct. You do need to be present, though, to close on the purchase of whatever home you are buying. Who wrote that the extra time was "excessive?" My point was, if you otherwise like and want this job, not to rock this particular boat by asking for more time than their policy apparently allows. Anyway, that's just advice, not an order! Paul W. Barada The Negotiation Expert | |
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