Is it rude to take 10 day vacations as an employee requiring backup coverage for work duties?

[Anonymous]

Unless you own the company, staffing during earned leave remains management's responsibility, not yours.

[Anonymous]

On my teams we all cover each other. So vacation that long would be fine if we have enough notice. My boss recently took a vacation that long without much notice (and didn’t sign off on the only thing I asked for ahead of time) which was harder.

I’m a fed who earns 26 days a year. I also often earn comp time for travel and time off awards. I’m taking leave for a week soon, will be back for a week, and then gone for another week (two different places). Two weeks of leave over the summer is pretty typical for me.

I also typically take a week for spring break, 1 week st Christmas, and then days scattered here and there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only Americans think that taking vacation, especially one lasting more than a week, is an issue. This is your one and only life. If you have the time, take it. You will never get it back. Enjoy living. I know it’s hard to do in the United States where work culture is a rampant disease. But do it anyway. Take a long vacation.

Because everyone is petrified that if they take vacation, they won't show their "loyalty" and be fired. Or they become the person who brings their laptop and is really working the entire trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the most American question ever.

It's and american site, with american questions.

[Anonymous]

Not your problem. If they don’t want you to take leave they shouldn’t provide you with leave. The fact that some places require you to get approval to take leave is ridiculous and should be illegal. I understand maybe requiring that you give 14 days notice if you are going to put more than 2 days or something similar. The fact that companies can determine when you take vacation or leave for personal needs is nothing short of stupid.

[Anonymous]

Staffing is not my problem to solve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that in some industries, taking a vacation of this length is mandatory--it is how the organization develops enough skill overlap (and oversight over your workstream) to be able to easily replace you, and make sure you're not up to nefarious doings in the meanwhile.

Take. Your. Time. Off.

Yes - more common in Europe but you see it in the US energy industry for the first reason and in banking for the second reason. It's an easy risk management tool that also makes employees happy.

[Anonymous]

Shoot, I'm taking a lot of leave now because I'm leaving the company in September. I earned it, I'm taking it. Guilt doesn't enter the conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shoot, I'm taking a lot of leave now because I'm leaving the company in September. I earned it, I'm taking it. Guilt doesn't enter the conversation.

Similarly, I'm a fed expecting to get RIFed, trying to find the balance between getting some leave paid out/saved if I am still employed, and burning the leave that won't get paid out and enjoying the summer with my kids. I'm taking about 3 weeks this summer but not consecutively. Normally I'd take 1-2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just took 2.5 weeks off. Yeah, I felt guilty, but I have the time. And I've already taken 2 other week long vacations this year. I figure if my boss doesn't want me to take the time off, she wouldn't approve it.

I bust my butt and pick up a lot of coverage when other people are out.

You're taking A LOT of vacation. You've taken off over a month, and we're only halfway through the year. That's a lot. Just FYI in case you're unaware, because you said your boss wouldn't approve it if it weren't ok. Don't be surprised if you get feedback at some point that you're taking too much leave.

What are you talking about?

If she has the leave why shouldn’t she be able to use it when she wants to use it?

This isn’t a lot or a little equation. It is have leave or not have leave. Anything else is meaningless.

You think companies should be able to provide a leave comp package upon hire and then say “we gave you too much leave or yes you have leave and we know you want to take a trip this summer when it makes sense for you and your non work life but we only allow you to take leave In October or November and no more than 3 days at a time”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have co-workers who take a month and nobody even blinks.

Same. I’m taking three weeks in August and that isn’t even the longest time off amongst colleagues in my office this summer.

[Anonymous]

No. That is your company's responsibility. Coworkers giving you stink eye should look to management. Like, they never take time off, lol?

[Anonymous]

“Is it rude to take my allowed leave”
No, it’s not rude. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Always use up all of your vacation time and don't feel guilty about it. It's your time!

[Anonymous]

I miss when my spouse worked for a European company and no one blinked when taking two weeks off and being inaccessible on email.

Those days are over though.