When Do You Start Getting Vacation Days?

Your Employment Questions Answered: When Do You Start Getting Vacation Days?

Sometimes the best way to learn something new is by seeking advice from those who have been there. Asking questions is how we learn about new resources or can give us perspectives we might never have thought about before. When you ask a question, you can gain the knowledge you are lmiliooking for that will help you figure out what you need to know to move forward, whatever the subject might be. 

Finding a job with paid vacation and holidays is super important. You will need to take days off during the year, and knowing you won’t lose out on pay is a big deal. Some companies offer you PTO right away, others make you wait 30-60 days, and others can make you wait a year. It just depends on the company. This question is about when companies start giving employees these benefits. 

Question: What do most companies do when it comes to PTO?

I work for a company that doesn’t offer any holiday pay or vacation days until you have worked there for a full year. Is that normal? What do most companies do?

Answer: What do most companies do when it comes to PTO?

When it comes to what a company offers and when you receive the benefits, it just depends on the company or even the career field. There are many different ways to do things. Here are a few examples.

• Some companies give PTO immediately.
• Some companies make you wait a year for vacation days but give you holiday pay right away. 
• Some companies don’t offer PTO at all.
• Some companies offer PTO after 30-60 days.
• Some companies make you wait a year before any paid time off. 

As you can see, there are different options for different types of benefits. It might be frustrating to have to wait a year, but for the right job, it can be worth it. 

Know that different companies make different choices when it comes to PTO and when they offer it. Companies may or may not also offer unlimited PTO. Unlimited PTO can be a good benefit for some. Companies can also put a limit on PTO days. Some PTO is use or lose during the year. Some PTO can be rolled over. 

Don’t companies have to give you at least holiday pay? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, they do not:

“The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations or holidays (federal or otherwise). These benefits are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee’s representative).”

The best thing to do going forward is to make sure you know what benefits a company will be offering you and if they align with what you are looking for. 

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