How do you get off from work?

[Tom Rankin]

With 5 weeks of vacation at a big software company, (been here 24 years), 5 'personal choice holidays', and 7 company holidays, I get quite a bit of time off. We even got an extra day off this year, sort of a thank you gift from senior management. So, with 38 days off, it's easy to get out and go hiking!

I've never called in sick when I wasn't. I don't think many people at my job do.

Bottom line, since I'm on salary, I either do my job or get fired. Being 'sick' does not help me do my job, the deadlines don't move if you're sick.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I'm a teacher so I get lot's of time off, which is a very nice perk. I don't get to choose my days, but seeing as all the time off is during the best times of year, it doesn't really matter.

That's odd. Around here, teachers have off during the summer, not the winter.

 

[sapblatt]

time off

I have the benefit of working a four day week (mon-thur). I do not get to hike on many Fridays as I am watching my son, which ironically is a lot like mountain climbing sometimes!

What really helps is that my three weeks of vacation time last a lot longer as I only use four days to make a week. I use a lot of days heare and there to get some hikes in.

As for sick days...it is best to call in sick for two days in a row. That way they really believe you are sick!

As for me, I never call in sick to hike. It would be tough to explain why my car broke down in the WMNF, or why I am in a full body cast when I was allegedly home sick!

 

[spaddock]

Calling in sick to hike is lame. I work remotely from home, trust is pretty much everything.

Like a few others, I develop software. With only two of us, if I'm off the work doesnt' get done. They give me 4 weeks per year. I really need to start taking more "extended" weekends since taking it all at once doesn't seem to happen.

-Shayne

 

[TCD]

Don't forget night hiking as an option! The main reason I hike and climb at night is because it doesn't all fit into the daytime.

 

[ADK4Life]

I have 4 weeks vacation, 17 sick days and 10 floaters it never seems to be enough :/

 

[Mark Driscoll]

I did not know I had to ask for the time off. I think I should start...NOT!

One month vacation and one month sick time plus many state holidays that I get comp time for if I work. I also put in many 10 to 12 hour days and often work weekends so my boss was very flexible, but now I have a new boss I hope I can train him as fast.

Mark

 

[hikeritz]

One summer long ago I realized I could take two weeks of vacation and turn them into 10 consecutive four day work weeks. It raised some eyebrows but my boss agreed. The majority of those three day weekends were spent in the woods. Best summer I ever had. If you schedule it right, you can also get a few four day weekends in there as well (Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day).

 

[Sherpette]

Its easy to find time off to hike when you are currently unemployed. Just finished with Summer school, I have 3 weeks before nack to school and darnit!, I'm going to enjoy the time I have. Now If I could just find someone with a car...

 

[sapblatt]

Its easy to find time off to hike when you are currently unemployed. Just finished with Summer school, I have 3 weeks before nack to school and darnit!, I'm going to enjoy the time I have. Now If I could just find someone with a car...

Sherpette-

Drop your fiance off at work and take his car for the day. If you are still hiking when he is done he can run home!

ps-Aaron still talks about you!

 

[Mr. X]

My boss is pretty cool with time off as long as I give him notice ahead of time. What kills me is a co-worker who keeps tabs of everyone's days off and when someone leaves early. He's always reminding the higher ups of the time off everyone takes and how he has to endure the extra workload. I get four weeks vacations and 120 floater hours to work with a year so I can't complain.

That's funny, things are the same where I work. Everybody is so concerned with anyone but themselves. That's the funny part.

 

[keepin' on]

I have never had a problem taking time offf. I am blessed and cursed to work for a very small operation.
Blessed: my boss/owner of the company understands (like no one else) the need for time off.
Cursed: it's a small operation. when a deadline hits (say friday, 3:00pm) you stay till it's done.....no questions.

We all work hard, very hard! I have called in sick twice in 6 years, and both times I have been sick. I agree with the sunburned comments. tough to explain. why lie when i can just say "I need a 'mental health' day?"

 

[KayakDan]

I found the best way to get time off is to be the boss!
Actually that only works for leaving a litle early etc. I don't have to explain to anyone but me.
I use my vacation time to make lots of 3 day weekends,except the week in March to paddle in the Exumas.
I love it when we tell people what we have been up to and they say"so,you guys must be retired!" I think if I retired I'd be dead from exhaustion

What we really need is a couple of months with six weekends in 'em!

 

[ADK4Life]

I am thinking of taking a 4 day weekend to fly to Banff and climb Temple, now thats a mini vacation.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Reminds me of the time I used to work for a company where you had to fill in a "Vacation Request" form prior to taking off. I used to cross out the "Request" and pencil in "Notification".

I prefer to do my hiking on weekends. Sometimes I use vacation days just to catch up on my puttering around the house. One exception: If I'm going to drive the 350 miles to Baxter State Park, I take vacation so I can spend 4 nights there and improve my chances of getting at least some good weather while I'm there.

 

[shadowcat]

too sick to come in today....

i think it was denton "something" who said:
"You call in sick. I'd never waste a sick day for when I was feeling ill. Hell, if I feel sick I can sleep at my desk just as easily as I can when I'm home in bed" ha ha ha i do the same thing! -- try to call bef the boss gets there or email. i work for the state so i don't have to worry about job security for calling in sick. hey so it isn't honest but i've learned life is just too short, so i get over it!

 

[smitty77]

I don't call out sick. Since I'm supposed to be able to be contacted at any time, it leads to a complicated game of CYA. I work in the paving business and the "unofficial" policy is you can take vacations any time of the year excluding the months from May through October. On top of that I only get 2 weeks, so I have to use them wisely.

On the flip side, the salary workers get to work 4- 10 hour days from mid-Dec through April 1 or so. Great schedule if you ski or winter hike. Currently, I don't do either but that will change as the little one grows older.

My boss, who is the best manager in the world, is very good about letting me take a day off here or there for family or mental health reasons. He'll also let me swap mandatory Saturday or Sunday work for days off during another week, which I usually position to get 3 or 4 day weekends.

 

[JohnL]

I'm with BobK on this one. I never ask for vacation. It's mine. I earned it and when I want to go, I just say I'm going. I'm very reliable and a Go To guy at work and when you are respected, then people cut you some slack. We have a new time reporting module at work and I totally ignore the "Time Off Request" section. I just send an email to my boss and admin and go. I am on vacation now. I hiked yesterday. I told them Monday.

And I never lie about sick days. I've taken 7 legitimate sick days in the past 20 years, 5 of them for an operation. Come to think of it, I rarely if ever lie about anything. There are just too many things to remember if you lie about something. If people don't like the truth, then they can
p!$$ off or learn to adjust to it.

JohnL

 

[jfb]

I made a deal with my boss that Friday is an optional day in my work week. If I work extra hours during the week, I'll leave early on Friday or I can take a few hours vacation time and not show up at all. I'll let him know during the week what my plans are so he can plan accordingly. If I'm planning a hiking trip, I'll leave Friday morning, stop for lunch on the drive and still have time to hike a few miles before dark.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I found the best way to get time off is to be the boss!

Actually, that's a problem for me. I've got real good people working for me. I let them pick their days/time off, and I take the crumbs.

Good people are hard to find.