Can a company change vacation policies?

Can a company change their vacation policy so that employees will no longer be able to carry vacation time over from year to year? And can they institute a policy that says if you put in for a day off, you must take that day and can not make any changes, otherwise you lose it? For example, if you put in for July 13th off, but find out a week before that you don't need the day off, they are saying you still have to take it or lose it. And if you need the 15th instead of the 13th, you would have to take both days.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

I would say in general, companies can change their office policy manuals without grandfathering in certain employees. To your specific questions of instating a use or lose policy, I would think that it is legal but I don't know. I'd have to see the policy manual language.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

My job did this as well and it s*cks--we are no longer allowed to carry over days. However the idiots instituted this policy in late November so 85% of the staff was missing for all of December. It was pretty ridiculous.

As for the "take it or lose it"--I don't see what benefit they gain from that? They get you in the office on a day they thought you would be out, and then you have to be approved for whatever other day off you select. No harm, no foul.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

A company can change their vacation policy at any time. We used to be able to carry over vacation time - they stopped that and allowed employees to be paid out for it. Then with no notice they took away the option to be paid out for vacation days. They gave employees with expiring days extra time to take them on a case by case basis.

As far as being inflexible about days off - I am pretty sure a company can do that. Does the position require a lot of scheduling to insure proper coverage? I can see where a company doesn't want to have to recreate the schedule or take a day of work from someone else to accomodate an employee that changed their mind about taking a day off. If that's not the case, then I don't see the point of it but I don't think the company has to be flexible although they gain nothing from it but ill will.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

I don't have the actual policy language, as it was just announced to my DH. I'm fine with them taking away the ability to carry days over from year to year. It's the lack of flexibility with days off that's really bothering me. It bothers me because DH told his boss that he may need 2 days off at the end of July and his boss forced him to put in for the days in advance so they could work out the schedule. Now we don't need the two days, so he's going to have to take them anyway. It irks me because I'm going through fertility treatments and may need my DH on other days where those two days off could have come in handy.

Thanks for the input.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

yes a company can change either of those policys at any time without notice.

If you have a handbook, it should say it in there that they can change any policy at any time. if not, its still legally allowed.

that really stinks they are changing it. Is there any way you can wait and report your days at the last minute or after the fact?

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

Yes they can with the exception of any employees in California or if you are governed by a collective bargaining agreement.

In CA, if you earn a personal or vacation day, it cannot be taken from you. However they can cap your vacation accrual so that you stop accruing vacation when you reach the cap.

A company also has the right in every state to tell the employee when they can take vacation. In other words, the company can tell you, you get a vacation between Christmas & New Year's.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

Posted by JenMarie

I don't have the actual policy language, as it was just announced to my DH. I'm fine with them taking away the ability to carry days over from year to year. It's the lack of flexibility with days off that's really bothering me. It bothers me because DH told his boss that he may need 2 days off at the end of July and his boss forced him to put in for the days in advance so they could work out the schedule. Now we don't need the two days, so he's going to have to take them anyway. It irks me because I'm going through fertility treatments and may need my DH on other days where those two days off could have come in handy.

Thanks for the input.

Re: Can a company change vacation policies?

Yes - my company did.