Hey. HEY. Take your vacation days. Paid vacation is not a privilege—it's part of your compensation package. Letting them expire is like handing a paycheck back to the company and saying, "Oh, no, please, I couldn't possibly..." Sounds dumb, right?
"But if I use my vacation, I won't get all my work done!" Load-balancing is your manager's problem. Don't spend your money to cover for someone else's incompetence (or predatory staffing practices).
"But I want the company to succeed!" That's great, but remember that you work for *you*. If the company profits, will you get more money than those vacation days were worth? Are you *sure*? Because paid vacation is *guaranteed* money you're owed right now.
"But my boss won't like me!" American capitalism thrives on self-sacrificing employees. They don't have to abuse us, because we'll throw ourselves on grenades out of a desperate desire for approval. But a company is not a cause. We need to be mercenaries, not heroes.
This applies *even if you're doing important work*. Working to cure cancer or feed the homeless is amazing, and sometimes there just isn't the money for proper staffing. But if you're going to sacrifice, make sure those costs are visible and recognized as the problem they are.
Obviously, not everyone is in a position to risk manager disapproval. But that's all the more reason why those of us who can afford to need to stand up and claim the compensation we're contractually due, to try and change that company-first culture.
So next time you're tempted to let those vacation days expire, think of the workers around you—the ones who maybe can't afford to stick their heads up. Taking what you're owed by a for-profit company isn't selfish. It's labor activism.
Insert one million caveats here. If you feel that this doesn't apply to you—great, maybe it doesn't! But when going above and beyond for a job, it never hurts to ask yourself who the sacrifice is helping. Is it you, society, or your colleagues?
...or is it the folks at the top?
...or is it the folks at the top?
