Has anyone here quit their job without something lined up?

[HuskerShark]

PTO is a benefit. If a company gives you PTO as a benefit for working there and frowns upon you using it, find something else to do.

[The Dude]

If I don't get some replies to this I'll probably make my own topic.

 

But I just accepted my first "real" job - full time with a salary - and I'm not sure on etiquette/expectations for some things.

 

For instance, my paid time off doesn't carry over each year. Is it perfectly normal to use up every single day of PTO that you receive? Or would it be frowned upon to use all of the days I get during my first year of working? How far ahead of time should I ask for it? How should I ask for it? After a month on the job I'll probably be able to ask one of my fellow employees but I'm really curious about these things now.

If it's a "if you don't use it you lose it" deal, use it. If they pay out unused PTO, then whatever.

[Red Dead Redemption]

If I don't get some replies to this I'll probably make my own topic.

 

But I just accepted my first "real" job - full time with a salary - and I'm not sure on etiquette/expectations for some things.

 

For instance, my paid time off doesn't carry over each year. Is it perfectly normal to use up every single day of PTO that you receive? Or would it be frowned upon to use all of the days I get during my first year of working? How far ahead of time should I ask for it? How should I ask for it? After a month on the job I'll probably be able to ask one of my fellow employees but I'm really curious about these things now.

 

You definitely should talk to your manager about it at some point. Hopefully you have a frank discussion about it. It can depend on the type of job you have, the existing culture of the company, and the type of person your manager is. These things can affect how far in advance you need to put in notice for PTO. For example, there's a difference between you just pausing your work for the duration of your PTO, versus someone having to fill in for you and do your work for you during your PTO.

 

My previous job formally recorded PTO, but my current job doesn't. Both jobs I was given a finite number of PTO days each year, but in my current job my manager just informally tracks my PTO. In both jobs I had a really cool manager that would occasionally let their subordinates take "off the record" PTO if they were at their limit for the year and something came up.

 

In any case, it's best you let your manager know weeks or months in advance of your upcoming PTO if you can. If it's a day or two of PTO, try to give at least a week or two notice. If it's a week of PTO, give at least a month or two notice. If it's something that suddenly comes up, hopefully they will be understanding.

 

Most reasonable people correctly believe that your PTO is there for a reason, so use it up, especially if it doesn't roll over. Unfortunately not everyone sees it that way. My wife works at a preschool, so when she isn't at work, someone else has to step up and do her job for her in her absence (e.g. teacher/student ratios must be maintained) She doesn't get PTO but she does get 10 "personal days" per year (without pay). She usually uses her personal days for doctor appointments for herself or the kids, She often uses them up that way, but she never goes over, and she actually gets criticized by her supervisor for "using too many of her sick days". WTF? This year they actually cut back down to 8 personal days for everyone because people were taking too many personal days. What bullsh*t.

[icedavis]

I pretty much agree. PTO is a benefit and you should use them. My PTO and "sick days" are one in the same but if you are one that has separate time, then I would say to utilize the sick days to their full benefit too. As someone who struggles with mental health issues (and has a few friends with mental health issues) I can't stress enough the importance of taking "mental health days". Obviously be careful if you typically get the flu or whatever...but don't parlay the importance of mental health vacations. And I agree that if the company frowns upon you using it, then find somewhere else to work. That's a horrible situation in the making. I always tell the team I manage to use it all and don't regret it.

As far as when to submit, as a manager, I also agree that you want to probably wait 90-ish days after starting a job before submitting for time off, then submit your time as soon as you know the hard dates you want for PTO. A couple of weeks before a couple of days PTO is a good mark, and as suggested above a month or two before a week-ish PTO is a good mark. Some jobs don't require the need for backups/fill ins but the ones that do need that time to make sure procedures are updated, backups are properly trained and ready to go. So it's a common courtesy to submit as far in advance as you can. And as suggested if something comes up last minute, hopefully they understand and will let you go.

[TGHusker]

_{My wife and I quit our jobs in SD when we got marred and moved to Tulsa wtout jobs. That was 37 years ago. She got a job right away, I didn't - I was too picky on the hours. It took a few years but finally got the kind of job I thought I was 'entitled' to out of college - I ended up working a less desirable job to begin with until the right job came along. I've since learned that no one is entitled to anything - college degree or not. My brother in law who has some medical issues, recently quit his job wtout notice due to his boss being a # 1 dick and the organization doing unethical things (as reported on TV). He thought he could get unemployment - because of the treatment he received and the news articles - but the judge said - you quit - no unemployment. Now he is struggling to find something. So even if you are in a crap situation, try to find a landing zone before you bail out of the current job.}