
Ask HN: How does unlimited PTO work out in practice? - gangster_dave
Many tech companies offer unlimited PTO as a benefit these days. However, there are rumors that this ends up working out worse than standard PTO since there&#x27;s guilt with taking too much time off.
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IpV8
If I were in the situation of unlimited PTO I'd probably track myself and take
5 weeks a year, just so that I can keep the guilt out of my conscious. I'd
probably make that clear to my manager as well and put it on him/her to let me
know if there are any problems.

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ossm1db
I guess I should consider myself very fortunate. It works out very well for
me. I've worked under an unlimited PTO policy for several years now (at two
different companies).

It does not "depend on management approval." Approval for time off is
automatic; it is only necessary to coordinate with your supervisor and/or team
to make sure tasks can be handled by coworkers in your absence. Vacations were
typically one to three weeks, sometimes longer for international travel or
special situations.

There is no "pressure to keep the PTO profile low" or limit the amount of
time. It isn't even tracked.

It's not a "loss of a benefit." I've been able to use more time off than
before, even with the most generous PTO benefits at prior organizations.

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IvyMike
It's a terrible policy, and unfair across the company as it depends on local
manager approval. Have a workaholic manager? Enjoy getting less vacation
approved than your peers.

Keep track of it yourself in a spreadsheet.

Don't go under your previous amount (make sure you're still getting your three
weeks per year, or whatever), but don't go too far over unless you're really
confident.

Don't "bank up" too much virtual time. Like don't say "I'm going to take no
time this year and then a whole month next June". Because if you're
fired/leave in May, you get nothing.

Evil Life Pro Tip: If you're going to quit soon, and you want to milk the
system? Feel free to take as much as you want.

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eyer2016
From an employer's perspective, they don't owe you anything. This is a good
thing for them, because when your company gets acquired by another company
which has different policies than your company, they won't owe you a dime.
While, if your company has a policy of 20 days off and your company got
acquired, they owe you $$ amounting to the PTO days you haven't used up.

Source: happened in my previous company but the acquisition happened right
after my 8 week vacation, so I didn't get any $$.

Having said that, I also was very lucky to have a good manager who really
didn't mind how much vacation I was taking as long as the work was getting
done.

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mancerayder
Guilt, or pressure come bonus time to keep the PTO profile low so it shows
(what some cynical management teams call) "passion"?

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tardigras
I find myself taking a lot more one-offs than I did before. Previously, when I
would bank PTO, I would avoid taking a day off to do something around the
house or play a new video game that came out. Now, I don't worry about it as
much and take the time, which I think is the point of having PTO anyway.

I have probably taken 4 weeks off total in the past year.

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pinewurst
Don't ever forget that this isn't a benefit, it's the loss of a benefit. Let's
say you don't take vacation out of guilt or events - under the traditional
regime, you'd at least get the hours as accumulated salary. Not any more.

