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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am married to a teacher and agree that it's a different situation than an employee with a 52-week work schedule and PTO bank. He just has a lot more time off than I do built into the calendar already. The tradeoff is that he can't take a random 2 weeks off in October...but he gets more than 2 weeks *without having to ask or arrange coverage* over winter break and summer; plus another week for spring break. I could use up my whole PTO bank, including time I've carried over from previous years, and I'd still have less time than he does in one year.

Yes, it's "unpaid" time off insofar as the contract is for X days, but when it's paid out over 12 months and the benefits continue, it's not actually like you're unemployed during breaks. And yes, it would be nice to have more flexibility to take off for appointments and other personal/family needs as they come up throughout the year. But I don't think it's reasonable for teachers to say they should be able to take 2 consecutive weeks off *any time* of year when the breaks are built in.

Teachers shouldn’t have to turn down once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. My colleague had the chance to go to Spain recently for a family reunion, one uniting her entire family from multiple countries for the first time ever. Should she have skipped it, or should she have put her life first? I missed a few days last year to drive my first born to college. Should I have skipped it, or should I have placed my family first?

Sometimes the big moments in life don’t happen during the convenient summer months. And at a time when we have a severe teacher shortage, perhaps we should consider what we can do to keep them. Seeing them as humans and not mere teachers would help.

DP, I agree with you, but I hope you extend the same understanding to students when they get pulled for family trips. Pretty tired of teachers acting like that's a sin.

So many teachers were absolute azzes about travel during school. My kids were top students and my dh's schedule meant we could never go anywhere during holidays or most of the summer.

Teachers don’t create attendance policies. We just take the heat for them.

I’m happy to support student absences. If I’m told ahead of time, I’ll create a streamlined independent unit covering everything missed for my class. I’ll even create it so it can easily be done in a car or on a plane so it doesn’t impact the trip itself. 2 of 3 times, however, all that work is wasted when the student doesn’t do it anyway.

It isn't attendance policies that are the issue. It's teachers.

Help me understand this. So most schools have the policy that a vacation is an unexcused absence, which means teachers aren’t expected (or in some cases, allowed) to give make-up assignments and quizzes.

But somehow the teachers are still the issue, not the policy they are following as required by their job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two work weeks off work for Europe. Is it inconsiderate of those who cover your job while you are ooo?

I feel guilty but I would love to travel and explore.

absolutely not rude.

I take the leave I earn Ns if work can’t figure it out? That’s a management problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is saying not to use all the vacation time one gets per year.

But there is an aspect of courtesy and being a good colleague when it comes to how and when someone uses their vacation time. For example, would a big law partner take 3 weeks off in the middle of busy season with a client? How bout a doctor who takes 3 weeks off and his/her partners have to cover all their patients' issues during that time? Or an accountant takes PTO during tax season and their partners cover all their work?

Sure, you can say it's a management problem. But there's only so much management can do if one has the PTO hours to take off. Some people abuse the system.

Taking the time that is allowed to you isn’t abusing the system. Get the f***ing boot away from your lips. Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

It is not rude. I only ever felt put upon when my colleague used to take a 3 week vacation and I had to cover for her. By the third week I was sick of it. She did it every year.

[Anonymous]

If you are unable to use your PTO, then your work is understaffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is saying not to use all the vacation time one gets per year.

But there is an aspect of courtesy and being a good colleague when it comes to how and when someone uses their vacation time. For example, would a big law partner take 3 weeks off in the middle of busy season with a client? How bout a doctor who takes 3 weeks off and his/her partners have to cover all their patients' issues during that time? Or an accountant takes PTO during tax season and their partners cover all their work?

Sure, you can say it's a management problem. But there's only so much management can do if one has the PTO hours to take off. Some people abuse the system.

Taking the time that is allowed to you isn’t abusing the system. Get the f***ing boot away from your lips. Hope that helps.

I'm referring to abusing your colleagues.
I did not say not to take the vacation time one gets. CAN YOU READ?

[Anonymous]

No, it is not rude. Tips for making it easier: let everyone know you are leaving and who and how to contact for help (spread it out amongst colleagues if possible); out of office on email and phone with this info (phone general number); finish all work possible before you go; go over priorities with supervisors/clients/colleagues to make sure the work you finish is the work that actually needs to be finished; leave a "transition" memo for your colleagues (things like here is the draft I sent the boss who may have questions; here is the file folder with all the background information; here are the p.o.c.'s for the project...)

[Anonymous]

Nope, it's a benefit that you negotiated when starting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is saying not to use all the vacation time one gets per year.

But there is an aspect of courtesy and being a good colleague when it comes to how and when someone uses their vacation time. For example, would a big law partner take 3 weeks off in the middle of busy season with a client? How bout a doctor who takes 3 weeks off and his/her partners have to cover all their patients' issues during that time? Or an accountant takes PTO during tax season and their partners cover all their work?

Sure, you can say it's a management problem. But there's only so much management can do if one has the PTO hours to take off. Some people abuse the system.

Taking the time that is allowed to you isn’t abusing the system. Get the f***ing boot away from your lips. Hope that helps.

I'm referring to abusing your colleagues.
I did not say not to take the vacation time one gets. CAN YOU READ?

I can read, and I read where you wrote "Some people abuse the system." referencing some co-worker you probably hate for taking their vacation time.

Taking the time they are entitled to is not abusing the system. Hope that clears it up!