Yeah, my coworker just spent the summer driving across country with her kid, which sounded amazing. Unfortunately, her position was just eliminated, which is kind of the dark side of the whole thing -- they got used to being without her.

I've got almost more PTO than I can use after ten years, but I'm only allowed to use it a week at a time.

A week at a time isn't bad, though.

That sucks you can't take more than a week-long vacation!! I'm super lucky to be working at a place with unlimited pto now and they seem to really encourage actually taking unconnected time off. Work anniversary presents are $$ towards vacation. My grandboss used her 3 year gift to go to a yoga retreat out west this spring. Am hoping it works out that I can keep working here for a while and the benefits don't change!!

I'm only allowed to use it a week at a time.

Officially? If you wanted to take a 10-day trip you wouldn't be able to? That's not right.

Unlimited PTO, I think I would be tempted to abuse that.

I just pointed someone your way! Will give you guys her name if she applies. While my workplace is pretty good, I've learned over the summer we have one exceptionally toxic department. I'm kinda flabbergasted at the shit I've learned because it is so not the prevailing culture. But it has a very different line of accountability and authority.

I posit a hypothetical scenario in which a couple of whispered-as-bullies-managers fired every senior staff they'd had a professional conflict with, citing budget where they couldn't find "cause" that would let them avoid severance. Those hypothetically fired with cause, let's just suppose the discovery was not performed by hr and is ethically but not legally dubious. Hypothetical employees had no idea they were being targeted and had nothing previously documented against them. A month later, positions might've been posted with slightly changed wording to pass the sniff test.

I wouldn't be surprised if a hypothetical ombudsman got some anonymous submissions from coworkers of those fired.

We're on strict use-or-lose in the fiscal year (although I have a feeling mine is the only department that actually tracks), so last year I had an extra week to kill in June and this year I'm scrimping all year to take a two-week trip next June.

Oh jeez, Sara.

I get 5 weeks of vacation a year. We can carry over another week to the next year, and put 4 into a bank. My bank is full. So in theory, I've had 9-10 weeks to take off. I don't know how the bosses would take it if I tried to take it all at once.

We also have a deferred leave, but I think the minimum one can take is 3 months, and I don't think I could live on 2/3 salary.

Officially? If you wanted to take a 10-day trip you wouldn't be able to? That's not right.

I could ask for some extraordinary trip, I suppose, but the bosses would frown on it and I'd have to take it at a historically slow time.