If you’re gainfully employed and based in the U.S., you’ve undoubtedly complained about the lack of paid time off available to the average worker, particularly in comparison with countries like Australia, members of the European Union and the U.K.
Fortunately, one TikToker has put together the perfect calendar for 2023 to maximize your time off — by using just 15 PTO days, you can get 40-plus days off by scheduling around public holidays.
For example, taking Monday, July 3rd off gives you a four-day weekend when you factor in the Fourth of July government holiday, and taking November 9th off ahead of Veterans Day on November 10th nets you another four-day weekend. For an even longer break, you can try taking off November 20th through 22nd ahead of Thanksgiving on November 23rd, which gives you an eight-day break once you include weekends. Nice!
Whether your boss will let you take these dates off is another matter, particularly if everyone else is gunning to get the time off as well. One commenter said that this wouldn’t work for them, because their employer doesn’t let employees take days off before and after a public holiday — it’s either/or. Plenty of other commenters concurred, suggesting this is a somewhat common policy that would definitely throw a wrench in your vacation plans.
Yet more pointed out that some jobs have blackout periods where nobody can take time off as their workplace is anticipating an increase in business — this would potentially be the case for many working in retail, hospitality or health care around the major holidays, for example.
Still, if you’re working a 9-to-5 office job, “hacking” your PTO in the way John suggests could be a great way to make the most of your paid leave and public holidays. While 2023 is halfway done, why not get a jump on 2024 and start blocking out your calendar now?
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