How many of you work for employers who allows you to donate your personal and vacation time to fellow employees who need them for unexpected emergencies like sickness in the family or other qualified emergencies?

I have yet to use any of my personal time. I have accumulated 12 days of personal time over three years. I also have 10 weeks of banked vacation time because in the last three years I used compensation days off instead of vacation days. I have about 21 days of comp time to kill too.

One of my colleagues needs to attend to a personal family matter and has used up all of her vacation, personal and sick days. Because she is a hard worker and I know her family matter is serious, I have volunteered to give her 14 days of my vacation time to attend to this matter. Right now, it is going through corporate for approval. I had to write a two page letter stating I was very willing to give up my vacation days to help this lady.

Donating your vacation/personal time is a thoughtful idea many companies should adopt. What do you think?

My last 5 employers have had a program where this could be done. 

 

Tess

OC,

I've never worked for a company that had such a program, but know people who work in public schools that allow it.

I think this kind of thing is a good program.  Being completely volunteer-driven, it's difficult to abuse, and no one really loses on the deal.  And, by it's own nature, you'd think everyone would be on board wanting the same thing done for them.

You're lucky to work for one of few companies that let you bank that kind of vacation time.  The company I last worked for was doing away with that kind of thing.

Cheers to you for being a good mate and giving away your hard-earned time.

I think it's a wonderful idea! I've never worked for an employer with this type of policy. Kudos to you for thinking of a co-worker, what a way to boost moral! Great post, definite 5 pointer!

tb:)

Based on how it works where I work, this is best done anonymously--employees who wish to donate vacation/personal time put it in a "bank" and those who need it have to apply for it and get approval from a 3-member oversight committee. Requests for extra time off are almost always approved, denied only in rare cases when an employee appears to be taking advantage. The anonynimity is a safeguard against an employee feeling overly grateful or obligated to any specific co-worker. This is a safeguard against dicey office politics.