Three weeks PTO for a Vice President position? Or, conversely, unlimited PTO for all (does it really work)?

In Episode 053 of the Cafe Grit podcast, I talk about my experience with vacation time over the years and what I'm seeing in current job postings.

How much paid time off do you get in your traditional (non-entrepreneurial job)?

When I started my first professional job in 2000 I got 3 weeks paid time off. Sixteen years later, when I left for another opportunity, I was a couple of years away from having 6 weeks per year.

Then I took that opportunity and my PTO dropped to 4 weeks per year. Seven years later it was still 4 weeks per year.

Now, as I look for a new position, I am seeing more and more upper management or even executive positions offering 15 days.

While I'm sure in some cases that is negotiable, it's clear at least in the United States that we do not (generally speaking) value personal time off work.

Some companies (including the one I was recently laid off from) don't have a separate sick time bucket. They make you use your personal time off if you get sick.

Yikes.

Check out the full episode and then let me know your experience with paid/personal time off. Fair or not fair?