I worked with a woman that took a one-year sabbatical to "help her daughter with college applications" we all thought that was weird and probably just a lame cover story for something else.

My previous company gave you an additional 160 hours of PTO after 5 years and encouraged you to take a month off. I was there for 8 years and only knew 1 person that actually took it. He spent that time working on a business plan and started his own company shortly after coming back. LOL

The 160 hours they gave you was outside of the annual PTO accrual cap. That means that when I quit the company, I got a check for the 160 hours, plus all my unused PTO.

My kid is going to start work at a large accounting firm and was told they have unlimited PTO as well.

Unlimited PTO and sabbaticals, what a time to be alive.

I hear you but I remember working a job for 12 months before you got any vacation time.
But I'm old so ……….

I did it when I moved to Israel in August 2019 - August 2020

right during Covid so it was not like a luxury vacation.

but it was interesting living overseas and experiencing different culture

I had planned it though for years- and was able to resign from one company and then get a job with another company before I returned to DC

Comeby! said:

---

I came across a situation in my professional life where someone I know was taking one. It got me to thinking and I realized I don't know anyone who's done this. I thought it was a religious getaway, unless this is some sort of a nice way to say rehab, or furlough.
Do Aggies take sabbaticals? Weren't sure we programmed with that option at A&M.

---

I know plenty of Aggies (especially Cadets) that took "victory laps".

Parlay any surgery into a sabbatical through short term disability and a very understanding doctor.

If caught though, your sabbatical might be quite longer.

Not technically a sabbatical because I didn't get paid, but my company let me take 2 years off and come back.

Sold our house, loaded up a 5th wheel and a 2yr old and traveled the western US for the first year. Came back to TX and worked on cars/trucks/RVs in my shop, flipping and selling. One of the best things I have ever done, but yeah, wasn't gonna pay the bills with a growing family.

If we can save up enough in the next few years, I'd love to do another year long RV trip.

Trinity Ag said:

---

Comeby! said:

---

I came across a situation in my professional life where someone I know was taking one. It got me to thinking and I realized I don't know anyone who's done this. I thought it was a religious getaway, unless this is some sort of a nice way to say rehab, or furlough.
Do Aggies take sabbaticals? Weren't sure we programmed with that option at A&M.

---

I know plenty of Aggies (especially Cadets) that took "victory laps".

---

Guilty. Corps and engineering.

I have taken less than 15 days off in the 4.5 years I have been at my current company. 10 of those days were for 2 new babies.

Gotta grind to climb the corporate ladder. It has paid off thus far

I agree unlimited pto is a scam. But, to your point, nothing says you have to be paid out pto in an event of a lay off.

I was laid off during Covid, that company changed their policy to not pay out pto about a month before, they also changed the policy from two weeks per year served (rounded up), to one week per full year completed. I would have gotten like 11 weeks pay, instead got 3.

Our rector took a six-month sabbatical. Apparently needed some time away. Yet he was able to serve as a volunteer chaplain for some law enforcement group or groups (can't remember if it was city cops or sheriff's department). I felt if the job was that much of a burden, and to leave his whole congregation in the lurch, perhaps a career change was in order, and he eventually did just that.

I took my own version of a sabbatical. Was offered a generous severance package, was burnt out, unhappy with work, needed a reset. Took two years off then hot back in industry with a new job and it was best thing I have ever done.

Ag CPA said:

---

Shallowminded14 said:

---

I have taken less than 15 days off in the 4.5 years I have been at my current company. 10 of those days were for 2 new babies.

Gotta grind to climb the corporate ladder. It has paid off thus far

---

Not sure that is something to be proud of.

---

It's not. I took my first two PTO days in my entire life earlier this spring. It was….weird. Hard to even enjoy honestly. Even now I am on pace for 9 days off in 4.5 years. This is so stupid. I know it is stupid. But my brain was indoctrinated from an early age so need to break that. Fortunately I am in a place now where you HAVE to use it or lose it but there is considerable rollover so no real pressure yet.

Honestly, I just flat out never think about it and that is more a story of my state in life rather than my work situation at this point.

Key point. Don't be like me. It's dumb.

I had it planned so that I gave notice to my current employer (at the time a contractor at the State Department) and told them when I would be leaving.

Flew overseas, spent a year, looked for a job online during that time, interviewed online, got an offer and returned to USA to work for that company.

it's not hard to do.

htxag09 said:

---

I agree unlimited pto is a scam. But, to your point, nothing says you have to be paid out pto in an event of a lay off.

I was laid off during Covid, that company changed their policy to not pay out pto about a month before, they also changed the policy from two weeks per year served (rounded up), to one week per full year completed. I would have gotten like 11 weeks pay, instead got 3.

---

Not an employment lawyer but from my understanding of PTO law that was a combination of legal gray area and a cheap trick.

If you've earned PTO, its as good as cash from the companies perspective from the minute its earned, but only as good as cash from the employees perspective when consumed. The company has to set aside money to pay for the salary benefit of your earned leave. This is why companies like moving to unlimited PTO because they don't have any strict liabilities on their books about what they 'owe' an employee.

Its not illegal for them to change how they structure PTO, but it was my understanding there has to be some opportunity for you to consume your leave balance before they change the rules. Like, 'starting next year PTO is unlimited.' Between their one month heads up and the "covid emergency" they probably thought they could play small claims court chicken about your PTO reduction. As the claims in court would go from, 'they stole my PTO' to 'they changed my PTO benefit and I didn't take my PTO in the mean time.'

I don't think I did the best job in wording my previous post.

I am not avoiding taking time off. I had children very young in life (my first was born one month to the day after graduation) and wanted to be able to provide my wife the opportunity to stay home with our kids. My income wasn't at the level it needed to be to comfortably provide that for us early on. We feel her staying home is best for our family. This is nothing more than a season in our lives and once it has passed I am sure I will have a change of heart. That said, I feel I am doing what is required from me in this season and it has paid off.

I personally don't ever see myself taking a sabbatical, but to each their own.

I absolutely regret not suing them. But, unknowns of Covid, knowing my wife was pregnant, and just going up against a large corporation I just took what I was offered.

But pretty sure I had a solid case. They also got around paying the full WARN act payout by saying it was unpredictable or whatever…..yet they changed the severance policy 2 months before….

But I've worked for several companies and multiple have had it in their handbooks that PTO is not paid out upon severance.

TX04Aggie said:

---

I took my own version of a sabbatical. Was offered a generous severance package, was burnt out, unhappy with work, needed a reset. Took two years off then hot back in industry with a new job and it was best thing I have ever done.

---

Are you me? This is exactly what I did although I did do some consulting on the side during my retirement/sabbatical.

Shallowminded14 said:

---

I have taken less than 15 days off in the 4.5 years I have been at my current company. 10 of those days were for 2 new babies.

Gotta grind to climb the corporate ladder. It has paid off thus far

---

I'm not proud of it, but I'm very similar. I like routine and really do not like taking time off. I'm no workaholic, as I rarely work over 40, but definitely need to work on taking time off.

6 weeks of PTO in a consulting firm is an absolute scam and is blatantly dishonest. They give you 90% utilization targets which means that if everything went perfectly the most you could take is 4 weeks. Sometimes you get lucky and get to bill 45 hours/week.

I'm sure I will. It's just a season in my life while my kids aren't playing sports and my wife is staying at home. My old man never missed a practice/game and I fully intend to do the same for my boys.

I have almost doubled my salary in 4 years. It has been worth it financially this far.