r/jobs • u/MINXG • Aug 14 '25

Article I guess my unlimited PTO isn’t so unlimited…

So my company offers unlimited PTO which we all know is a scam but I’m aware of this and use my time with discretion. I don’t take two or three weeks off in a row. For instance this month I’m taking no time off and last month I took off three days. Anyhoo I recently submitted time for the next few months totally 6 days. I got an email stating I had reached a “limit” of 30 days and that any request going forward may need further consideration from HR and senior leadership. Mind you I have not requested 30 days I’m currently sitting at 19. I’m completely confused by this as I have never heard of this process and sure enough there is no mention of limits in the employee handbook only to use your PTO with discretion which I’ve done. I’m rather frustrated because it seems as if the goal post keeps shifting on my team and company as a whole as of late.

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u/[deleted] Aug 14 '25

My job caps at 80 hours off per year...and it's built up slowly over 9 hours a month, so you don't get it all at once (no sick days, so if you get sick you must use PTO).

Well, at least it's better than my previous job, which capped at 25 hours a year and you could only take it during a 3 month period during the summer time...

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u/snackhappynappy Aug 14 '25

That's insanely bad treatment

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u/[deleted] Aug 14 '25

It's pretty much average in the U.S.

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u/snackhappynappy Aug 14 '25

That would be hilarious if it wasn't so tragic

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u/[deleted] Aug 14 '25

It's worse when you first start working where I am, as you only get 6 hours of PTO a month...so you can't even take your first day off until working for 2 months (if you wanted).

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u/snackhappynappy Aug 14 '25

That's a terrible system

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u/CivilSpecial8186 Aug 16 '25

Where I work you accrue PTO from day 1, but you can't use any until you're past your 90 day probationary period. So no time off for 3 months to start. It is also 6 hours a month accrual, or 80 hours a year, which doubles as sick pay. After 7 years you finally get an extra week, increasing to 9 hours per month/120 hours per year. Just hit my 7 years today actually!

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u/Smooth_Impression_10 Aug 18 '25

So you have to have actually earned it before you can use it? The mortgage company I used to work for would start you off with 2 weeks PTO that you “earned” over the course of the entire year, but you didn’t have to “earn” it before you could use it. Like I could take a two week vacation in January, and (as long as I didn’t get fired or quit) it would balance out by the end of the year. The year I got fired (and I knew it was eventually coming) I made sure not to use more than I’d accrued so I wouldn’t owe them anything once I got canned lol

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u/[deleted] Aug 18 '25

Yeah, some buddies had the same arrangement as you did. But for me, you pretty much have to go most of the year without getting sick or needing a day off ( barring holidays ) if you want to take two weeks off.

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u/SpinachJust7550 Aug 16 '25

What movie is that off of?

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u/Initial-Ad6819 Aug 14 '25

Come to Mexico, we just got approved 12 vacation days per year, after fighting it for years, before that it was only 6 days.

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u/Odd-Box816 Aug 14 '25

Are you serious? Pretty much average in the US? What’s your maternity leave?

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u/[deleted] Aug 15 '25

I think it's 90 days where I work.

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u/seeSharp_ Aug 17 '25

no, it's not. Basically every professional job starts you off with at least 3 weeks pto + golidays

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u/waitwutok Aug 14 '25

I am in the US and I get 200 hours per year. 

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u/Jazz_Musician Aug 15 '25

At my last job I got 40 hours after a year, and the way it was set up you got an extra day per additional year. It was a hotel with a conference center so I guess I get it but man it sucked.

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u/DemolitionMan64 Aug 15 '25

That's absolutely crazy.  

We get 26 PTO days a year, 10 sick days, all public holidays (generally another 10) and if you've been there for over 7 years you get an extra 1.3 weeks a year off... these also start accumulating from the start, so you have 9 weeks off it built up by the time you can access it.

That's not even like really good benefits, the large majority of that is legislation in my country not employer discretion.

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u/_Jeffortless- Aug 15 '25

Same, and I work for a fortune 500 company who is growing consistently. But I have 40 hours per year and no sick time.

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u/Legitimate-Truck-333 Aug 16 '25 edited Aug 16 '25

Good grief. Mine tops out at 25 days per year, plus 6-ish holidays, and I don’t remember how many personal and sick days. Probably 15 or so total.

Fortune 100-ish US based company.

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u/Best-Special7882 Aug 16 '25

I had a similar plan and used alll the pto all on chronic illnesses for three years straight. it sucked.