Unlimited Vacation Time for LinkedIn Employees
Mandatory sabbaticals. Telecommuting from Southeast Asia. And now unlimited vacation time. Doesn't anyone work in an office these days?
Not only is the workplace becoming more flexible, but businesses are competing to offer their employees the best benefits. To that end, LinkedIn is now offering its employees unlimited vacation time. So how will the business function with everyone drinking Mai Tais on the beach? Well, there are some limits to the policy.
LinkedOut of the Office
No, you can't work three days a week. And no, you can't take six months off. But LinkedIn employees also don't have to wait to accrue vacation days, either. Instead, employees are encouraged to work with managers to find the best time for time off.
LinkedIn also has some mandatory paid vacation -- employees have the entire week of July Fourth off, as well as the entire week between Christmas and New Years. According to LinkedIn's chief human resource officer Pat Wadors, it's not just a matter of giving employees vacation time, but making sure they use it: "I want people to take vacation," she told The Huffington Post.
Endless Summer
While private sector employers are not required to offer paid vacation time, the competition for talented employees has many small businesses expanding their employee benefits. Increased or unlimited vacation time is one such benefit, and one that is not likely to be abused by employees.
The United States is one of the only developed countries that doesn't require employers to provide paid vacation time, and Americans don't take advantage of paid vacation time even when their bosses offer it. So it may be a good idea to take a page out of Europe's book and offer more summer vacation time to your employees. (And make sure to take some time off for yourself as well.)
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Related Resources:
- LinkedIn the Latest Company to Offer Unlimited Vacation Days (NBC News)
- Vacation and Sick Leave (FindLaw)
- Is My Business Required to Offer Vacation Time to Employees? (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
- Top 3 Tips for Holiday Vacation Requests (FindLaw's Free Enterprise)
