Boss Questions Whether Worker's 2-Week PTO Request Is 'Too Long' Despite Her Having Unlimited Time Off
She pointed out that her boss shouldn't be questioning her decision to use the unlimited PTO that was given to her.
fizkes | Shutterstock In a since-deleted TikTok video, a budgeting and finance content creator named Jess issued a warning to other employees who work for companies that allow them to have unlimited PTO after she was questioned about her time-off request despite having unlimited PTO herself.
Her boss questioned if her 2-week PTO request was 'too long.'
"This is your PSA to never fall for the trap of unlimited PTO, or in my case, 'discretionary' PTO because that's what my work likes to call it," Jess began in her video.
She explained that she would be taking a trip to Italy at the end of August, and it's been a trip that she's been planning for several months.
She submitted her PTO request at the end of June, giving her boss plenty of notice so that they could find the appropriate coverage while she was gone. Most companies require employees to give between a month to sometimes three months of notice, and Jess made sure to follow that rule so her request could be approved without an issue.
However, almost immediately after sending in her PTO request, Jess received a message from her boss about it. "It essentially said, 'Hi Jess, I saw your request for two weeks consecutively in August through September. Have you run this by 'Blank?'" Explaining who "blank" was, Jess said that it was technically another one of her bosses, but she wasn't the one responsible for approving her PTO.
Jess' primary boss continued asking her about her trip in their message exchange, including if she would be leaving the country.
At the end of the message, her boss informed her that she needed to "provide details" about the request because he typically "doesn't approve 2-week PTO without understanding the reason."
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Employees should be allowed to use their paid time off however they want, and Jess shouldn't have to give her boss a play-by-play about the details of her trip beyond the fact that she's simply going to Italy for two weeks. On top of that, Jess and everyone else at that company are afforded unlimited PTO, but as evidenced by this exchange, it's not always the perk it's made out to be.
Most employees have expressed an interest in getting unlimited PTO at work.
According to a 2019 MetLife survey, 72% of employees expressed interest in unlimited paid time off (PTO) as a benefit. In addition, a Harris Poll/Fortune survey found that workers prefer unlimited time off over other benefits like tuition reimbursement, subsidized childcare, or free snacks.
Despite how unlimited PTO sounds, there are disadvantages, especially if a company doesn't enforce it correctly. The number one problem could be the potential abuse of it, as some employees may burden their co-workers by how often they take time off. Without restrictions, multiple employees could be out at one time, resulting in unfair and unprofitable working conditions.
Additionally, many workplaces tout the perk but underscore the actual benefit by discouraging its use. In many instances, workers with an unlimited PTO benefit actually end up taking less time off than employees with more structured vacation allotments.
Some employees may never use their unlimited PTO at all. According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 46% of U.S. workers who receive paid time off (PTO) from their employer don't use all of it. This includes time off for vacation, doctor's appointments, or minor illnesses.
Whichever way you look at it, whether an employee has unlimited PTO or not, their time off is their time off. Jess pointed out in her video that no one should be allowed to question, judge, or criticize how many days she takes off and how she chooses to use those days.
If the time is available, then it's her employer's responsibility to make sure that there is appropriate coverage for her workload while she's out.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.