Coronavirus Workplace thread

[Xtrema]

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What are your guys' thoughts on companies forcing you to use vacation because they don't want to pay it out? I thought that was illegal, but maybe it depends on your employment contract.

My company and probably a lot of others are trying to get people to use their vacation as most people are sitting on 4-5 weeks of unused vacation due to the virus, cancelled trips, etc. The last thing anyone wants to do is take vacation to continue sitting at home as they have been for the last 3 months. Is there any way around that? I'm hoping things open up enough by the fall that I won't have any problem using up all my vacation but who knows how all this will play out.

I'm currently burning 1 day off per week so I can avoid crowds on the weekend (both in town and out of town) now that my spring vacation is ruined. We have been "strongly suggested" to book and use our vacations.

Still hope Austin F1 still a go and everything will be back to normal by then but I'm not holding my breath. Chances are that I may just do Friday's off for Q4 as well if things get worse and I don't want to go into office as often.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Nope thats in the employment standards. If you and your employer can't agree on holidays then they can designate time for you to take off. It needs to be sufficient notice ahead and such. Most places don't do it, cuz its a dick move ... but it is technically allowed.

https://www.alberta.ca/vacation-pay.aspx#toc-2

Interesting, thanks. Sounds like they have the upper hand on this one. Not too surprising I guess haha.

They aren't forcing anyone to do anything yet, but it's being very strongly encouraged. I'll probably just head to BC or something if I can't leave the country.

[sabad66]

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What are your guys' thoughts on companies forcing you to use vacation because they don't want to pay it out? I thought that was illegal, but maybe it depends on your employment contract.

My company and probably a lot of others are trying to get people to use their vacation as most people are sitting on 4-5 weeks of unused vacation due to the virus, cancelled trips, etc. The last thing anyone wants to do is take vacation to continue sitting at home as they have been for the last 3 months. Is there any way around that? I'm hoping things open up enough by the fall that I won't have any problem using up all my vacation but who knows how all this will play out.

Our company is essentially forcing us to use vacation. There is a seldom-allowed provision that allows us to get paid out for vacation but i haven't heard of anyone that has been successful.

I know a few people who have been approved to defer their unused time to the next year (above the week that we are allowed to do by default) but that also required some convincing and GM approval.

It does suck that you can't really do international travel but it is what it is. Maybe use the time for Domestic travel? Just gotta make the best of it. Personally i'm taking a bunch of smaller camping trips this summer along with at least every 3rd Friday off.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Our company is essentially forcing us to use vacation. There is a seldom-allowed provision that allows us to get paid out for vacation but i haven't heard of anyone that has been successful.

I know a few people who have been approved to defer their unused time to the next year (above the week that we are allowed to do by default) but that also required some convincing and GM approval.

It does suck that you can't really do international travel but it is what it is. Maybe use the time for Domestic travel? Just gotta make the best of it. Personally i'm taking a bunch of smaller camping trips this summer along with at least every 3rd Friday off.

We always say we want to go out East to the Maritimes, but always back out last minute because it's cheaper to fly to Hawaii, Europe, or Japan than it is to Halifax a lot of the time. I *think* those Eastern Provinces are still locked down and enforcing visitor quarantines (last I checked they were), so we will probably just head out to Vancouver Island or Kelowna or something but I hear it's super expensive (probably for that exact reason haha).

[Proyecto2000]

I have been working half days at our downtown office for 3 weeks now. It is so dead and just like a few posters above my work is looking at employees taking vacation time on a mandatory basis to get that time off the books in the event of further layoffs to reduce severance costs.

[flipstah]

Our work is forcing to use vacation days because they’re revamping it to another earning system, whatever that is

[bjstare]

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Our work is forcing to use vacation days because they’re revamping it to another earning system, whatever that is

That logic doesn't check out; the current balance should have nothing to do with the rate/method of accrual. I'm guessing they need people to take vacation days for their balance sheet, and are giving this as a weak excuse.

[holden]

We are being asked to use up half our vacation days by end of summer. Not sure if it's a hard enforcement though.

[Nufy]

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We are being asked to use up half our vacation days by end of summer. Not sure if it's a hard enforcement though.

So bill as vacation but still working ? Or take time off ?

I am a contractor at TCE and we still do not have any plans to go back to the office.

[ExtraSlow]

It's very reasonable to make employees use up vacation days, particularly of they've carried over from previous years. You shouldn't be able to carry forward forever.

I always use my days though. I like my vacation.

[holden]

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So bill as vacation but still working ? Or take time off ?

I am a contractor at TCE and we still do not have any plans to go back to the office.

No, it would be paid time off. It's just usually we have no direction on how to use it. If you wanted to use it all in November and December that was fine as long as you worked out with your manager and teams.

[flipstah]

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That logic doesn't check out; the current balance should have nothing to do with the rate/method of accrual. I'm guessing they need people to take vacation days for their balance sheet, and are giving this as a weak excuse.

I don’t care either way; I’m in the negative

[mr2mike]

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Our work is forcing to use vacation days because they’re revamping it to another earning system, whatever that is

EI earnings system?

[taemo]

management are going back to the office after the July long weekend.
staff are going on a weekly rotation with everyone expected to be back September.

HR emailed everyone telling to start using our vacations day reminding that only 5 days can be carried over

[brucebanner]

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We always say we want to go out East to the Maritimes, but always back out last minute because it's cheaper to fly to Hawaii, Europe, or Japan than it is to Halifax a lot of the time. I *think* those Eastern Provinces are still locked down and enforcing visitor quarantines (last I checked they were), so we will probably just head out to Vancouver Island or Kelowna or something but I hear it's super expensive (probably for that exact reason haha).

If you wanted to you could probably do NB and NS. PEI is still on lockdown I think, don't think you can even attempt to cross the bridge. Not sure about NL and the ferry or flights there.

[killramos]

N.S. has a mandatory 14 day quarantine for visitors. NB is almost entirely locked down if I understood correctly.

PEI locked down and easily enforced lol

[brucebanner]

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N.S. has a mandatory 14 day quarantine for visitors. NB is almost entirely locked down if I understood correctly.

PEI locked down and easily enforced lol

I was more saying if you wanted to skirt the rules(and be part of the problem) but I haven't read up on their rules lately.

[SKR]

Use up your vacation days by taking an Alberta break.

[R-Audi]

Major concern currently is the elevators. If the buildings fill up and we are still limited to 2-3 people, it could take several hours to get up during the busy times like lunch or even heading home. I heard an estimate of 2-3 hours if the buildings are at regular capacity!

[killramos]

The elevator thing sounds like a garbage policy I agree.