Author Topic: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment  (Read 3772 times)

Aloysius_Poutine

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Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« on: September 17, 2016, 12:21:08 AM »
I recently got a promotion and negotiated a new vacation allotment (in addition to new salary).

The first version of the contract said "your previous vacation allotment will remain unchanged." My previous vacation allotment was "15 days" -- which is generally taken to mean 3 weeks.

However, I asked for an extra week of vacation, and I got it. The new contract says my vacation allotment is "four weeks." 

My question is: do I take "four weeks" as 20 days off, or do I take it as 4x7=28 days off?

This is a medium sized company and the person I negotiated with is not my direct boss. It is likely that whichever way I interpet this, no one will really notice.

My idea is to schedule 28 days off and if anyone challenges me, point to the contract. Wondering if you think this is a bad idea? What would you do?

I am genuinely confused as to how to interpret this. I am not acting in bad faith, but of course I want to take as much vacation as possible.

Thanks

okits

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2016, 12:45:06 AM »
I recently got a promotion and negotiated a new vacation allotment (in addition to new salary).

The first version of the contract said "your previous vacation allotment will remain unchanged." My previous vacation allotment was "15 days" -- which is generally taken to mean 3 weeks.

However, I asked for an extra week of vacation, and I got it.
The new contract says my vacation allotment is "four weeks." 

My question is: do I take "four weeks" as 20 days off, or do I take it as 4x7=28 days off?

This is a medium sized company and the person I negotiated with is not my direct boss. It is likely that whichever way I interpet this, no one will really notice.

My idea is to schedule 28 days off and if anyone challenges me, point to the contract. Wondering if you think this is a bad idea? What would you do?

I am genuinely confused as to how to interpret this. I am not acting in bad faith, but of course I want to take as much vacation as possible.

Thanks

Four weeks is 20 weekdays.  If you negotiated an extra week, do not take eight additional work days off.  It is disingenuous to pretend that one extra week can somehow be interpreted as eight 13 days.

Edit: because I can't math at 3am.  :P
« Last Edit: September 18, 2016, 09:52:55 AM by okits »

Dicey

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2016, 01:11:42 AM »
Four weeks is 20 weekdays.  If you negotiated an extra week, do not take eight additional work days off.  It is disingenuous to pretend that one extra week can somehow be interpreted as eight days.
Yup. Taking three extra days with pay that you're not entitled to even if no one notices = theft.

Little Aussie Battler

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2016, 01:20:10 AM »
I would say that it is 20 work days, not weekdays - it should exclude any public holidays.

okits

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2016, 02:19:49 AM »
I would say that it is 20 work days, not weekdays - it should exclude any public holidays.

Agreed.  "Work days" is more precise.

Aloysius_Poutine

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2016, 02:26:36 AM »
Thanks for the reality check. I will play it conservative and stick with 20 days.
Cheers everyone!

SnackDog

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2016, 09:18:57 AM »
It's only 28 days if you include weekends.

rhadams1988

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2016, 10:20:44 AM »
I would agree that they probably intend for you to have 20 work days of vacation time, but why not check with your boss? There is no downside to asking him/her how they interpret it. If they interpret it as 28 vacation days, then you just gained 8 days (which is huge), and if he/she says it's 20 vacation days, then you're no worse off.

If there's any small chance that your boss would interpret it as 28 days, you should really ask.

Little Aussie Battler

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2016, 11:00:37 AM »
I would think less of any employee who asked me that question.

undercover

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2016, 06:48:20 AM »
Why do people ask on a forum what they can find out themselves in about 1 minute? Disingenuous or not, I highly doubt they pay you for an extra 8 days off regardless. They'll probably just think you quit.

Also, your logic makes zero sense. If you fully acknowledge that 3 weeks = 15 days off, why would 4 weeks not equal 20 days off? SMH.

SKL-HOU

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2016, 08:53:50 AM »
Your logic makes no sense. You had 15 days and asked for an additional week. Even if you take a week to mean 7 days, you would be at 15+7=22 days (assuming 15 days were not listed in "x weeks" format). With your calculation a week is worth 13 days.

JLee

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Re: Career Question: Interpreting Vacation Allotment
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2016, 08:56:35 AM »
Unless you use seven vacation days to take "a week" off of work, the answer to your question is painfully obvious.