Do you use all of your holiday days?

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nfurnoh@reddit

Yes, and even buy more. On top of that I’m compressing my hours into 4 days starting next week.

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leapyeardi@reddit

I use everything I'm not allowed to carry over.

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Alternane@reddit

My company offers an unlimited holiday package, so it's not a case of using all the days. But last year I took 37 days of annual leave + bank holidays + 2 weeks off at Christmas.

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SlaveCell@reddit

How does unlimited holiday work, e.g. pay?

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It's all paid time off. There are some limitations around it, like you can't take more than 2 weeks off at a time (you probably could if a special occasion). Basically it's up to you to manage it yourself, I think there is some unwritten rules, like you couldn't take off every Friday. So long as you can manage your workload and take leave, then its fine. Ultimately the holidays still need to be approved by your manager, not had any declined as such, but asked if I could do a different week if a few others are also off that week etc.

How I see it is a don't take the piss attitude.

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SlaveCell@reddit

This is cool thank you. Didn't realise that it worked like this

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Asher-D@reddit

Can't take more than 2 weeks at a time? Damn what if you want to take the total 5.4 weeks legal minimum in one go? I wouldn't like that restriction!

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boringfantasy@reddit

Amazing. I wish AI didn't exist so I could've got one of these jobs.

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DigitalStefan@reddit

I use all of them. It’s expected of me to do so. I have a generous amount of annual leave entitlement including “day off for your birthday” as a perk.

My employer genuinely advocates for work-life balance, good mental and physical health (Bupa is included) and avoiding burnout.

Unicorn employer.

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m7cex0@reddit

I’ve worked for the same company for 25 years, and every year I’ve carried over a weeks leave as that’s the maximum allowed. Realised 2 years ago how stupid that is as I’ve never used my allowed paid time off for all this time so I now use every single minute of leave every year.

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cragglerock93@reddit

I'm confused. Surely if you carry over a week each year then from year 2 onwards you were essentially taking the maximum?

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m7cex0@reddit

Yes taking maximum but a carried over week x23 years I never used felt like a never ending week of leave for 23 years. So felt I’d retire with my extra week I’d always carry over if I didn’t start using. I work for a big company with decent long service leave allowances so never felt need to take more leave, as I’m older now I’m taking every paid day off I’m allowed a year

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Asher-D@reddit

So you carried over a week the first year and then carried over and also lost a week every year after that?

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Bossman_Mike@reddit

Well, at my company you could only carry over up to 5 days. That was not cumulative, so you were not banking 5, then 10, then 15 etc. as the years rolled by.

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Asher-D@reddit

If you have 5.4 weeks a year and you carry over a week every year, the first year you should have had 4.4 weeks and every year after that you should have had 5.4 weeks.

At my old job I carried over a week every year, I didn't lose anything because I didn't let any go unused that I wasn't able to carry over.

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Nuker-79@reddit

100%! But if I don’t, they get carried over for the next year.

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ASGT908@reddit

Some industries don't like carryover being used and will only approve it for extreme personal circumstances (e.g. moving house) OR it there was clear business needs that prevented you taking leave (although not taking leave till 2 months before the end of the year isn't an excuse)

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Bossman_Mike@reddit

My company allows anything up to 5 days and it rolls over automatically.

Up until 2021 there was an HR process where you could carry over more, but your manager had to submit on your behalf and it led to a lot of quite justified questions as to how and why you didn't use it.

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Bossman_Mike@reddit

Nope. Feels like I'm inconveniencing people and getting the side eye, meanwhile at my last job there was someone who ran out of annual leave and topped it up with a sabbatical to go on yet more bloody holidays.

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LegoVRS@reddit

I always struggled to take my holidays and always ended up taking most of them in the last month of the year... So I bought 5 extra days on the companies flex benefits. Doing this meant I wasn't constantly saving days in case I needed them. Now I take all of them and also 2 mental health days per year. This adds up to 35 days plus all of the bank holidays.

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lovemycat02@reddit

Why wouldn’t I???

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FireWhiskey5000@reddit

Good god no. I end up rolling over as many as I can each year normally. I suck at planning holidays.

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Rasty_lv@reddit

Every single one gets used. And i track every single hour used. Heck, even my manager asked me few times for my spreadsheet to compare my used holiday hours in system (our managers use some kind of outdated timesheet system that is getting replaced next month.)

I count every minute booked as holiday. They dont carry over nor we get it paid out as unused hol

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pgnlzbth@reddit

I’d never even consider letting them lapse!! We are entitled to that paid leave and you’re throwing your money away not taking it! I had a few days left at the end of this holiday year and arranged with my manager to get paid for it. Happy days.

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Max1357913@reddit

Absolutely, although I can carry 10 over, so sometimes do carry some. But I’d never lose one permanently

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No-Daikon3645@reddit

We can carry up to 7 over, but are advised to take them all. I take random days and brunch with my sister and catch up on paperwork. Not exciting, but good for my mental health.

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crazycraven@reddit

Every single minute.

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musicallymotivated93@reddit

Yes, it's foolish not to.

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JustNoGuy_@reddit

No, I don't use any and they don't carry over. I get asked to take the days off, but I don't take any days off, my life is too shit to take any days off.

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NoFewSatan@reddit

How stupid

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JustNoGuy_@reddit

I don't care. 🤣

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NoFewSatan@reddit

Well done on giving your employer free labour. Time to actually value your time.

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JustNoGuy_@reddit

You're talking to the wrong person. I don't value my time or much of anything in my life. I'll work 12 hours a day 7 days a week if I could. Doesn't bother me.

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NoFewSatan@reddit

Fool

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Dethark@reddit

I usually end up taking time unpaid because I want more days off.

The idea of losing leave because I'd not taken it is absolutely mind boggling to me.

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74jax@reddit

I use all mine and buy extra.

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Ordinary_Barber_6260@reddit

Absolutely mental if yoy dont use your holiday entitlement, why would you even consider that.

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LowAnimator8770@reddit

Never not used my full allowance. If I have spares at the end of the year, I’ll just book Fridays off and do 4 day weeks

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Violet351@reddit

Yes, we can’t carry over anymore so I make sure it’s all used

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PsychologicalDish430@reddit

God yes, all booked up as soon as possible,!

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Kaurblimey@reddit

When I was in the private sector I even bought more!

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Suspicious_tuna@reddit

Ours gets paid out, useful for a bit extra at Christmas

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rockdecasba@reddit

Yes. I usually try go abroad for all except Christmas and Bank holidays

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OrganicPoet1823@reddit

I don’t have enough I use every day for something good

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sihasihasi@reddit

Of course. Up to five days can be carried over anyway, so it's hard not to. I also buy another five days.

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Nick6819@reddit

Yes, every single one of them. We can’t carry them over and don’t get paid for them.

Have about 12.5 to book before the end of the year, my elderly mother is due a minor operation so I’m holding back this year to take some time off with her afterwards.

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TapWaterDev@reddit

Fucking obviously... and your employer should be making sure you do

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_FreddieLovesDelilah@reddit

Mine are all used up on bank holidays.

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BelstaffBoy@reddit

Why wouldn't you

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BowiesFixedPupil@reddit

I used to get paid out any I didn't take. I'd just take 2 weeks and get paid the other 2 weeks in January.

These days I buy an extra week so have, I think, 28 days to take plus bank hols and up to a week family dependent leave also paid, and I just can't imagine how I got my self into that previous mindset. Must have needed the money pretty bad.

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Thoughtful_giant13@reddit

Absolutely. Even if it ends up being a couple of random half days in November and December.

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oscarx-ray@reddit

I can carry over five days, so I use my full allowance or that -5 or fewer days. I'm not giving up paid time off, that would be insane.

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F1nut92@reddit

Yeah, I’m just awful at taking them, but I do take them all within the calendar year I work with.

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PantsPartyPirate@reddit

I used to leave some of my allowance unused when they allowed a roll over, and I could use it up the next year. Now that it is use it ir lose it, I make sure I use it. (And I keep a VERY close eye on accrued TOIL)

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strodey123@reddit

Absolutely.

I even buy extra ones.

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uniquelyRelevant16@reddit

Same, I buy 10 extra every year

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Pwsyn@reddit

100%. They don't carry over to the following year and I don't get paid if I don't take them, so I make every effort to take all of them every year.

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martyrees76@reddit

Yes, unless the boss promises they’ll carry over until next year and could we please not take them due to Covid. Then said boss leaves and new boss doesn’t honour it and you miss out on 72 hours worth of wages (£892 ish).

Just an example ….

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underwater-sunlight@reddit

Gonna assume you didnt have anything in writing with HR copied in?

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martyrees76@reddit

Nope

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NewtRider@reddit

Absolutely yes.

What kind of idiot wouldnt.

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Supes1975@reddit

I work in retail so I have to work over Christmas and New Year. I always make damn sure I get all my holidays down to the last hour!

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PatserGrey@reddit

Lost 1 day? What does this mean? You worked a day for free?

I tend to carry two to following year which was never intentional but did it once a few years ago and they've continued to roll over each year.

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ArcadeCrossfire@reddit

I had 22.4 hours left that I didn’t take. Wasn’t bothered, I told my boss to just allocate it all for me.

I haven’t used any this year yet either, I’m being pressured to now though even though I’d rather not. I live on my own with my dog and I don’t have friends, family or a partner. I don’t drive either so it’s effectively impossible to get anywhere with my luggage, a dog and stuff for the dog.

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monkeymidd@reddit

I use all 25 plus bank holidays , then I buy 5 , then I get two mental health days , I use them all and then end up needing 1-2 unpaid .

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blackcurrantcat@reddit

100%. I buy extra too.

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PissedBadger@reddit

Yes. I’m also entitled to 5 days unpaid leave, but I don’t take those.

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zah_ali@reddit

I’ve always been bad for taking time off. I’m so protective of keeping my leave for something I often get to December with a glut of holidays to take — thankfully haven’t lost any in recent years as I’ve been able to carry forward a decent amount and use the remainder for an extended break in December.

Bank hols get added to our allocation so unless I have plans I usually work them and that adds a few extra days on top come end of the year.

In a previous job, I had to take a week of holiday off and it came at what felt like a crucial time of a project I was working and felt look bad on me if I was absent so I still came in, my manager wasn’t aware (I wouldn’t have been able to carry them forward either). Very stupid of me in hindsight, lesson learnt there.

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ZeroFrogsHere@reddit

I had to go to work for 45 mins the month before my annual leave reset because what I had left didn't cover the whole day

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SaltyName8341@reddit

I used to use all my holidays and sick days, they knew

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feetflatontheground@reddit

I take every one of the days I'm entitled to. Even if I just sit at home, I am taking my days.

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the_tartanunicorn@reddit

is the pope a catholic?

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MintyMarlfox@reddit

Does he shit in the woods?

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Dominionix@reddit

Annual leave is not only part of your compensation package, it's one of the very few things which is tax free - so if you're not taking all of your days, you're silly.

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gemmajenkins2890@reddit

Yep.

Last holiday year(so up to about 7 or so weeks ago) I was so aggressively using up all of my holiday that I was left with 1 single minute of holiday.

I’m sure it’s like it everywhere but where I work you accrue hours and minutes, hence the 1 minute left over.

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LJ161@reddit

Yes and all my paid sick days

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gigglesmcsdinosaur@reddit

A week off for free with no fit note keeps the doctor away

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LJ161@reddit

Exactly.its not like they reward us st the end of the year for the days we dont take. Take the free time off!

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Mav_Learns_CS@reddit

Of course

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soundman32@reddit

Bank Holidays aren't included? You mean you cant take a BH but the total number of days you have is 28 or more, right?

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hughesyg@reddit

If you had 1 day left why didn’t you use it on the last week??

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rab10000@reddit

1st day back after new y are I have all my holidays in bar 2 days for emergencies.

That way I can't be hit with the usual sorry someone has already booked that week off.

Absolutely no way will I lose any not will I use them if I happen to be sick at all

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cragglerock93@reddit

I think we have to? I don't think you can opt to have the money instead, so if you don't submit dates to your manager in good time then you just get allocated leave. Fair enough IMO.

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BreadfruitOk5332@reddit

The idea of not, is insane to me.

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Fiyerossong@reddit

Do you work for free??

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Optimal_Collection77@reddit

This isn't America! I'd take the day off the stare at a wall rather than lose it

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snarkmaiden5@reddit

This seems like a basic easy answer? Like, why wouldnt you? Most employers won't carry it over to the next year. So get every last hour you are entitled to...

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ukAdamR@reddit

If I don't use them I get an agreement to be paid (to me) instead. That doesn't happen so often after seeing how much it was costing the company.

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TujiTV@reddit

Yeah, I use all my holidays, although we don't get automatic bank holidays (they're added to your annual leave) and we get a flat 10 days at the end of the year. The more holidays I'm getting the more I'm finding it difficult to use them all (when your job and your hobby heavily overlap, it can be tough to even consider taking a break), but I try to look at my calendar for important events, book them off, then keep a handful for last-minute time off.

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TrashAdorable@reddit

I do. I would lose them if I didn't as I wouldn't get paid for them or be allowed to carry them over.

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FewAnybody2739@reddit

Yup. My company is a bit difficult carrying anything over (i have, but they do make a bit of a fuss), so it's just easier to use them all up and it makes sense to do so anyway. If you don't, you lose a day off, and you work for free. I can buy more holidays but haven't needed to so far.

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DopamineTrain@reddit

A friendly reminder that is is a legal obligation for employers to make sure employees take the minimum holiday requirement.

So yes. I do take all my holidays. I like to spread them out as evenly throughout the year as possible to make things easier and I'm pretty flexible about changing dates around by a week to make things easier. Unfortunately I do like to take one around November time but that's when everyone else realises they haven't used all their holiday and there's a mad rush to get everyone's booked in before the end of the year

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FarneticoToro@reddit

Yes unless I'm allowed to carry over i absolutely use every last minute.

In the NHS you were allowed to buy, and carry over up to 5 I believe so I often would do that and essentially have a 2 week holiday without eating into my usual allowance.

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ATOJAR@reddit

Yes, if we don't we can carry them over or be paid the cash in our wage.

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split-tennisball@reddit

Of course. Why didn't you book it off?

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TGracie3@reddit

Yes, always yes. They would give you less if they could so always take back what your entitled to

Only caveat is rolling over for longer travel the next year.

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Dissour@reddit

Yes. Every second is used up.

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YchYFi@reddit

Yeah we are instructed to use up all our annual leave or management will put it in for us at the end of the year.

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Legit_Vampire@reddit

Me too. I wAs done out of a few hrs years ago so now I use every single minute

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luckeratron@reddit

I'm carrying over five days this year and buying five more. I intend to take two or three weeks off this summer holiday.

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NotGooseFromTopGun@reddit

100%. I usually buy more if I can too. You're working for free if you don't use all your days (unless they roll over).

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lucylucylane@reddit

Is this a question from an American

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The_AJR@reddit

Yes, you’re stupid if you don’t. It’s literally a free day to do whatever you want with and you get paid for it. No company is worth losing paid leave over.

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dreamribbons@reddit

Not normally, I've tended to just use enough to go above the statutory requirement and then carried the rest forwards. I think its a psychological thing where I've got the extra leave 'just in case' but I've never actually needed it for anything

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Seaside83@reddit

Why would I give my employer my time for free? Because if you give up any holidays you're entitled to, that's exactly what you're doing!

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lucylucylane@reddit

Yes you have to or they will just send you on random days

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M4niac81@reddit

Absolutely. I can carry over 3 days which I did this year but I always make sure I use the days I can't carry over, usually add a few random Mondays or Fridays in March if I have some left by that point.

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YchYFi@reddit

Yes because if I don't I lose them.

I didn't earn five extra days through service to lose them.

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ilikecocktails@reddit

Absolutely

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notthedoodaa@reddit

Obviously!!

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LongjumpingMacaron11@reddit

Absolutely.

I get 30 days hols, plus 10.5 days bank hols. We can roll over up to 10 days. I usually have a few to roll over, but then they get used fairly quickly.

Why would you not use them - especially if you will lose them otherwise?

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tycoon282@reddit

Last year yes, year before no but could carry them all over so that's chill

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tidygrant@reddit

They’re literally part of your package. Use them! I have a friend who does the same with his sick days but for me that’s too far. Use your days off

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toady89@reddit

Not since we became able to carry over 5 and buy 5, it started during COVID and I've been perpetually ending the holiday year with at least 5 days. I think knowing I don't lose them means I now keep a couple back just in case I need them.

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ASGT908@reddit

Make sure you use all your entitlement before the end of the annual leave calendar year. A good manager should with a few months to go chase everyone who has lots of leave left to work out plan to use remaining leave entitlement.

If I were you, good strategy to use annual leave is taking random days off so that you either have a midweek break for the day off OR make the working week shorter (not sure if you are office based).

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Cultural_Tank_6947@reddit

Yes, I use all of them. I'm not working for free.

The only exception was during the pandemic years where our employer said we could cash out all days above the legal minimum if we preferred.

It was a busy time for my industry, so I did in 2020 and 2021.

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haggis_catcher-@reddit

Fucking right be daft not to

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bio4m@reddit

Some years I've used them all, some I've not. Generally at the last few employers I've been with there's up to a 5 day carry over and I've used that a few times.

But not lost any days in a very long time

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