Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 21:13     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
My DH works around 12 hours a week, and makes close to $1m. All wfh. He just keeps the pieces in place with respect to teh people under him, and those underlings do all the work. It's a good gig. I make a bit more than home ($1.4m) but work 50+ hours a week and I am working every minute of that. I am pretty jealous of him.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 19:42     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:I work 10 hour days so I have every Friday off. I work 6-4, so you likely don't see that I'm working 10 hours.

Every week is a 3 day weekend. Some weeks I take 4 day weekends (work M-Th first week, T-F the second week) and it uses no leave.


This is me too. I’m a fed and have three day weekend every week. I can swap my day off from a Monday to a Friday to get a four day weekend if I’d like. I take a lot of trips on long weekends. Add a holiday and I can have a four or five day weekend on two hours of leave.
Anonymous
Post 08/29/2025 04:35     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:Both have been at their job for about 2 years. They regularly go out of town and take long weekends and vacations, and have probably taken 25+ days off this year alone. One complained how so much of his office was let go, and they're the only one left on their team (both private sector office jobs, although one is hybrid WFH). I genuinely don't understand it.


And you are why America is jacked up. MYOB. You have no idea how hard (or not) people work. And it’s none of your business. It’s between them and their employer. If their employer is satisfied with their performance then it is none of your concern. Not everyone needs to be working 80 hours a week and be all stressed out.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 23:49     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:Sales. These guys sit on the phone at home and then wine/dine/play golf with clients in the middle of the day. Once they make the sale, the client is handed off to accounts receivable/lawyers to handle the paperwork aspects and actual transaction.

White dudes in sales literally do 5 hours of actual real work per week.


There is some truth to this - but many are heavily involved in contracts and after sale support.

Actual working hours can be light - but you never turn off and are responsive 24/7.

Plus you can't hide - generally everyone at the company knows your level of performance - and you will be shown the door if you miss the mark.

If you can hack it - complex sales can be incredibly lucrative and provide a very nice work/life balance.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 20:38     Subject: Re:I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have well over 100 sick days saved up. They probably do too. If I don’t use mine, I’ll only be reimbursed for 1/4 of them at retirement.


After 2 years?



Maybe they can take unpaid time. I couldn't afford that but lots of people could.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 17:50     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:4 weeks vacation is now the norm
Many negotiate an extra week when job hunting. Maybe they did that? Also people are willing to take time off unpaid if they prefer the time off to the money.


Where do you work that this is the “norm”.

I see plenty of “unlimited” scams, but 4 weeks of vacation let alone PTO does is unusual in govt contracting.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 17:41     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:Many companies like the PE firm have generous leave, but flip side on days you do work you put in 10-11 hours and there is no overtime or comp time.


It’s not that bad, just stick to support functions like middle office. I work 40 full, intense hours per week.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 17:39     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:25 days off this year - 3/4 into the year - is 5 weeks. If they get 6 weeks of vacation that makes sense because there are only three months left and spring break and summer break are over and lots of holidays are coming up. If they get 7-8 weeks of vacation that's about right in terms of spacing. Some people do get that much vacation.

And if they can WFH, sometimes it looks like someone if "off" when really they're just taking a walk in between calls or running to the store.

I have a FT job an you can catch me in yoga pants at 10am or 2pm a lot during the week in my yard or neighborhood. Believe me, I work A LOT.

My husband often doesn't take off when we travel. He works from family's houses or sometimes on shorter vacations (like short beach trips).


Is it finance that gets 8 weeks off a year? Or another industry? Govies only get 5, and they are touted as getting too much leave.

40 days sounds insane, most companies I’ve worked at had a hard cap.


Govies get 5 weeks after 15 years! You start with 13 days. I'm 11 years in at 4 weeks.

I'd love to move to one of these companies with more generous leave. More important to me that money. But instead when I'm applying I'm seeing everyone starting with 10 days, which is...pretty bad.


10 days?! Name and shame.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 15:20     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:Sales. These guys sit on the phone at home and then wine/dine/play golf with clients in the middle of the day. Once they make the sale, the client is handed off to accounts receivable/lawyers to handle the paperwork aspects and actual transaction.

White dudes in sales literally do 5 hours of actual real work per week.


So attractive and white basically are price of admission?
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 10:47     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:Just because I’m out of town doesn’t mean I’m off work…


+1. Was just out of town for a month but was working the whole time. Took one vacation day. I also get unlimited PTO though in actuality it's more like 6 weeks a year, not counting holidays and the week between Xmas and New Years when everyone has off.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 10:23     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:People could say that about us.

My husband works for a Swedish company and gets 25 vacation days, 10 sick days, and 14 holidays. Additonally 80% of his company is off in August so the whole month is very quiet for him.

I work in sales remotely and my calendar is my own to book and my company doesn't care as long as I'm bringing in enough revenue. We travel a lot but I rarely actually take days off, I just juggle things around or keep up on the go.


I'm a fed who gets 26 vacation days, 13 sick days and 11 holidays. I know a lot of private sector people who are on the same level of experience (masters degrees and 15+ years) that get 4-6 weeks of annual leave.

I frankly think taking all of August off is insane. I HATE August. It's hot and gross to travel most places. I also don't want to be crowded. I'll take a few weeks off in October or April instead.


It's all the people who work in Sweden. In Scandanavia/Europe, many many people are off for the month of August.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 10:19     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
4 weeks vacation is now the norm
Many negotiate an extra week when job hunting. Maybe they did that? Also people are willing to take time off unpaid if they prefer the time off to the money.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 10:17     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:People could say that about us.

My husband works for a Swedish company and gets 25 vacation days, 10 sick days, and 14 holidays. Additonally 80% of his company is off in August so the whole month is very quiet for him.

I work in sales remotely and my calendar is my own to book and my company doesn't care as long as I'm bringing in enough revenue. We travel a lot but I rarely actually take days off, I just juggle things around or keep up on the go.


I'm a fed who gets 26 vacation days, 13 sick days and 11 holidays. I know a lot of private sector people who are on the same level of experience (masters degrees and 15+ years) that get 4-6 weeks of annual leave.

I frankly think taking all of August off is insane. I HATE August. It's hot and gross to travel most places. I also don't want to be crowded. I'll take a few weeks off in October or April instead.
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 10:10     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Anonymous wrote:Sales. These guys sit on the phone at home and then wine/dine/play golf with clients in the middle of the day. Once they make the sale, the client is handed off to accounts receivable/lawyers to handle the paperwork aspects and actual transaction.

White dudes in sales literally do 5 hours of actual real work per week.


I did medical sales for 7/8 years and had similar weeks. I would drop off lunches, keep things happy, but ultimately had months were I was maintaining and coasting. I would rev up when we switched markets or got new products but overall I probably worked an average of 17 hours a week. Some weeks 5 and some weeks 40 but not many. Now I wasnt a rainmaker either, did about 140-170k but it was PERFECT for me as a young mom when my kids werent in school yet. Now there are ppl who hustle the crap outta things and make 400-500 but it wasnt for me on that level. Eventually I found a real job. 🤣
Anonymous
Post 08/28/2025 09:44     Subject: I don't know how my neighbors have jobs - they take so many days off
Just because I’m out of town doesn’t mean I’m off work…