Any thoughts on the new Unlimited Vacation.
27 replies (most recent on top)
Scam
Agree this is about three things:
1) not paying out unused vacation time to outgoing employees
2) softening the blow for the eventual retirement of half-day Fridays (they will likely remain in the summer months only)
3) creating the appearance of a great benefit at relatively little cost to the company
I was laid off in Oct — glad I made it just in time.
No Mondays. No Fridays. What's not to like?
No more accrued vacation payouts at layoffs
Well I've decided to be proactive and exercise my right of unlimited vacation by not coming in Mondays.
Sorry to hear that folks. Unlimited vacation is great if you're new to the company, but s---s otherwise. I was laid off recently and was paid out for 4 weeks of unused vacation time. Those getting laid off in the future will miss out on that...
Unlike unlimited vacation, there's no financial incentive to eliminate half day Friday's. Plus if they thought the idea of unlimited vacation would soften the blow they'd roll both out at the same time.
Not sure what they gain by eliminating half day Fridays? They would have to adjust the other days back to 8 to 4 or 9 to 5. If they pulled a stunt like this 90% would leave as it's the only thing keeping most here (definitely not the salaries). Seems like management is doing it's best to piss employees off.
Good luck.
This is step one of a larger plan. It's just a precursor to step two, in which Mattel eliminates half-day Fridays. That's the real change. By rolling out this unlimited vacation policy now, the management is hoping that they won't be met with employee rioting or a mass exodus when "full-day Fridays" become mandatory in 2019. Nothing is free in this world; if something seems too good to be true, it almost always is.
“The best have long since left for better opportunities at places where they can grow, contribute, and make a difference.” ...And yet you’re still reading this board for some reason? Ok.
This is simply the latest slap in the face to employees. But let's be honest, whoever remains at Mattel is hardly the cream of the crop. The best have long since left for better opportunities at places where they can grow, contribute, and make a difference. The only motivations for Mattel employees now are fear and survival. Hardly "best practices" for a company that will live and (most likely) die by being innovative and entrepreneurial. Employees are just treading water until the place falls apart more. So sad watching such this once-great company die such a slow, agonizing death.
It was a insulting and condescending. Just because someone says something with a smile doesn't mean I will just believe what they are saying is a good thing. It's easy enough to research how this unlimited vacation time has affected other companies. The articles are not so positive.
It's hard not to read this policy as a great big FU to most of Mattel. It applies basically only to El Segundo and only exempt. So all hourly, all Canada, all Asia and all Mexico.....not only does ES get half day Fridays, now they get UNLIMITED vacation. Rest of y'all can s@ck it. Everyone knows ES is the Center of the World.
ENCOURAGED?!? are you legally insane? All managers over 45 have a huge issue with people teleworking one day a month and you think taking time off is ENCOURAGED? Lmao!!!!
I've never heard of an employee being punished for taking vacation time off, in fact at Mattel it is encouraged.
Whether this is for hourly or exempt it still seems wrong on so many levels. Discrimination for one. If you have been with the company for many years and earned 4 or 5 weeks do you now take them making yourself a bigger target then you already are? Just out of fear alone many people will take less. As for those that think this is great and abuse it they will make themselves a target as well. He11 who knows what to do. In addition to not having to pay out unused vacation to those being let go, it sounds like a set up in the making. I'm no lawyer but common sense tells me this is an unfair act against employees. A company can use this against you any way they want and most likely will.
@WrMthJY-1axz perhaps, but for those employees who are not laid off, they will have the opportunity to take more vacation time off then they would have been able to under the old system.
I don’t see how some people aren’t getting that it is a way for the company to save money. It sounds good in theory. Except as One person below noted, people take less when they have unlimited. And they are doing this before layoffs so then they don’t have to pay accrued vacation.
Calm down. Think for one second. This doesn’t apply to hourly employees. They still get the vacation payout. Exempt on the other hand is quite a different story. Come to think about it, aren’t most that are b--ching on this site directing their ire toward the EXEMPT employees anyway?
In the end it’s what you make of it. It’s not the worst thing ever (nor the best). Mattel doesn't have to pay severance. It’s not a manager nightmare as people that take way too much advantage of the policy and don’t get their work done would likely get exactly what they deserve. Calling it a scam is also a stretch. There are far worse vacation policies in far more profitable companies so for f--- sake...s--- it up and just deal with it.
There are worse things to solve here than go nuts about a vacation policy change.
Congrats to all the people who got laid off and paid out for their vacation before this nightmare of a new policy started.
IT'S A SCAM! Who are they trying to fool. Now when you leave, you do not get the unused vacation days you rightfully earned. With all the people leaving, Mattel saves money. When they terminate you, they save money.
IT'S A SIGN. The next layoff is coming and this is how they will save severance payout. There will be a severance becasue severance protect them from lawsuits. Can you spell C-L-A--_ A-C-T-I-O-N?
IT'S HR MARKETING TRICKERY. if you are stupid enough to fall for this, then you should work here. Sounds great for a new hire, but, think again. They say it is a benefit, but, guess again. It is a lie.
IT'S A MANAGER NIGHTMARE. Think of all the management required. Someone who normally would get two weeks now wants twelve week. The manager now has to be the bad person to say no and deal with the attitude.
IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACED OF LONG SERVICE DEDICATED EMPLOYEES. The ones that are left who worked hard and dedicated years to earn the maximum time off now get a slap in the face. They stuck it out with Mattel and this is what they get.
It's on each individual employee to plan out their year and make sure they take enough vacation time. Under the new policy, you have only yourself to blame if you feel like you dont get enough time off. We should all aim for at least 5 weeks off next year, although 8 to 10 weeks would be better if your truly looking to take advantage of this new benifit.
Damn! I left at the right time! That’s cold, Mattel!
It's a smart move from a company standpoint. They will get to clear all that accrued vacation time off their books and make the P&L look better. As noted by other posters it's a 100% scam from an employee standpoint. Everyone that leaves or is laid off gets $0 in vacation time payout. Studies also show employees with unlimted vacation actually take less vacation days overall as well. Mattel wins again. Enjoy!
Way to create animosity and create a hostile workplace! It will be so fun watching my department take off unlimitedly while the worker bees are stuck on in the office.
Only that it’s a slap in the face for hourly employees, who, in many cases, work in the same capacity as their salaried peers.
Look up articles on unlimited vacation. Professional consensus is that it is a scam benefiting companies. You can’t really take much and if you leave or get laid off they don’t have to pay you for what you have banked. And done right before more layoffs.