Old job was 10 days sick, 2.5 weeks vacation starting. New job is 18 days of PTO.

Yeah, I figure 18 days...well, if it's PTO, at least I can choose sick adn stuff. But between appointments and random colds or whatever and migraines? I definitely need more than 5 days in the whole year! Like Beth said.

Megan, that IS depressing!! I think I would have a hard time iwth "unlimited" sick time--I'd feel guilty ANY time I took it. And honestly, every once in a while I need a mental health day. Or a mental-sleep-in-late-half-day. And wiht unlimited sick, that wouldn't feel like an option. (Do NON managers know of the written/unwritten rules?)

I think that's how salaried is supposed to work.

Yahhhh, in theory. But while sometimes I'll go to an apointment on lunch, and even if it's 90 minutes instead of an hour, not count it, if I have one in th emorning, or late afternoon, and have to come in late or leave early, I feel obliged to take a partial day.

Of course, at this place, when I asked about teh hours they worked, they were like "Oh, some people don't come in until 9, but then they work late, until 5:30!". I was all "Um, at my current job I work 9:30 to 6:30" and they said "You take an hour for lunch?!?!". Which is probably not good either, I'm thinking...

Other thing is that I'm a "play through the pain" kind of person. I don't stay home unless I am pretty much incapable of working, so I never take random sick days, and I usually have stuff to do cause I always leave stuff until the last minute.

I have two rules for my (salaried) staff:

Never miss a deadline. Never be late for a meeting. Otherwise, their time is their own, and I don't keep track of it. They come in anywhere from 7AM to 10AM (one is an early riser, the others are not), and leave approx 8-9 hours later.

They're all stars, so I can do this.

Yeah, part of what I like about PTO is the guilt factor - you can take a day if you need it without feeling like you're cheating.

I feel obliged to take a partial day.

I can't take partial days, so it's not a factor.

Megan, that IS depressing!!

Luckily, pre-offer I negotiated a few days off for my brother's mid-week wedding next month. And once I started I also asked for my hours of freelance work this spring to count as time off rather than get paid for them. So I actually have 11 days this year. If I hadn't negotiated that, I wouldn't get any vacation until January. When I said I work for The Man, I meant it.

Luckily, The Man is based in NY and my managers here seem very lax about appointments and such. I basically work 8:30 - 4:30 and can probably work at home from time to time. So I don't the sick time thing will be a big deal.

(Do NON managers know of the written/unwritten rules?)

It all under the HR policies section that anyone can access.

Other thing is that I'm a "play through the pain" kind of person. I don't stay home unless I am pretty much incapable of working, so I never take random sick days, and I usually have stuff to do cause I always leave stuff until the last minute.

as long as you aren't bringing me germs.

Actually, DH is a work through the pain guy - but I spent 5 years in retail where I never had the choice, and always worked through the pain.

Never miss a deadline. Never be late for a meeting. Otherwise, their time is their own, and I don't keep track of it. They come in anywhere from 7AM to 10AM (one is an early riser, the others are not), and leave approx 8-9 hours later.

See, that's what I'm talkin' about...I am not an early riser. But I'll come in for your 8AM meeting if you want me to. (But if I know you well enough I'll beg you not to schedule them several times a week, like one project manager did at my last job...) And I came to work with a broken ARM once in order ot meet a deadline, and THEN went to the ER. Not to mention all the hassles of travel. But if I have nothing urgent on my plate, and I dont' feel good? Let me use my damn PTO time.

See, that's what I'm talkin' about...

It's all about treating adults like adults. Granted, in a start-up biotech, we have room for creativity. Obviously if we personally served clients or the public, I'd have to manage the "floor" time a bit more. Thank dog I don't. But even with fixed schedules, giving employees a choice among a couple of options goes a long way to making people feel more like humans and less like robots.

Just for the record, I don't generally share my waxing/shaving habits with people IRL. Only with you guys on the Internets cause I'm somewhat incognito (though I have met some of you IRL).