Employee Labor Laws; Vacation Time?

[Luke]

My mother signed a document at work that stated that if she did not use her vacation time by the end of the year she would lose it. Can she still get paid for her vacation time, if the employer did not establish a schedule that would allow her to take her vacation within the end of the year? Any help would be appreciated. Thank You.

[Libraryanna]

Depends on the state. In California, it's illegal to take away vacation time, you can only not gain more.

She needs to actually ask for the vacation time in writing. When they turn her down (she should insist on it in writing), then she can use that to say it was their doing, not hers, that kept her from her vacation time. She should also go to human resources and talk to them about it. (Although they tend to support the employer.)

She can also contact your state labor department and find out from them what your state allows.

It will work against her if she waited until now to ask for time off. She should have made a request months ago so they could work around a vacation.

[DreSnamk®]

Many companies have a use it or lose it policy for vacation. They're not taking anything away from her, they're just not allowing her to carry them over to next year. She gets more vacation days for the next year, right? That's what I thought.

[tonalc2]

Nope; if the time isn't taken, she loses it.