Employee's claim about unlimited PTO being a sham sparks debate on the internet

Getting paid time off from your work is almost like a blessing, but you might not end up getting those leaves, despite being entitled to them. PTO, or paid time off, is an integral part of human resource management policy which allows the employees of any organization to get paid for the days they take leave from work. Many companies stick to this policy, but it appears that some don't stay true to their word. One Reddit user, u/violettkidd, shared a story about how their company's initial promise of unlimited PTO turned out to be a sham.

"I thought the point of unlimited PTO was that it was unlimited. I am never behind on my work. If people take days off, we always work and schedule around it. Nothing has been late. I have a great team who cover for each other when needed," the Reddit user wrote. "I get a message from my manager reminding me that I've already taken 30 days off this year, and I'm coming up close to the company average."

u/violettkidd did not think much of it at first, but they realized that it was the company's passive-aggressive way of letting the employee know that they are getting close to a PTO limit when there shouldn't be a limit as per the clause.

"I was taking days off this year under the impression our PTO was actually unlimited, now I feel like I've used up too many days and I'm probably not going to be able to take time off for the rest of the year," the ranting employee continued. They also made a couple of edits to the post to mention that one of their old managers even took 50 days off in the previous year, so it doesn't make sense when the current manager starts hinting that their PTO is limited.

"To the people calling me greedy, I'm very grateful for my time off, I'm complaining about the company not explaining the situation properly. I wish everyone could have 50 paid days off a year. Working is hell. Selling my labor is hell," the post concluded. The Reddit community had to jump in and share their thoughts about the lack of transparency between a company and its employees, as many have experienced similar situations.

u/jrprov1 wrote: "Unlimited PTO is generally an accounting scam dreamed up by CFOs in which they do not have to carry over vacation time year-to-year (a liability on the books,) nor do they need to pay you for unused vacation time when you leave." u/mrsloveduck chimed in and commented: "I hate corporate America. I took my unlimited PTO to recover from SEPSIS and then had to return as quickly as possible and justify any additional incremental request. I rage quit."

u/MusicalMerlin1973 gave some clarifications and added: "That’s because it’s not unlimited. They call it that so they don’t have to put that money aside and pay it out when you leave with a balance. Bookkeeping sleight of hand. Remember to use all your time before you leave. I got told the same when I started at my current company only for my manager to tell me that upper management gets snippy if it crosses 20 days."

According to Forbes, 28 million Americans don't get any paid vacation or paid holidays and nearly 31% of U.S. employees do not have access to PTO. The other 52% of employees report working while on PTO as well. Employees who are granted PTO get more flexibility to balance the demands of everyday life while also fulfilling their work obligations on their own terms, which often translates into happier, healthier and more productive employees and working environments.