Calling in Sick: PTO Revisited

Until the pandemic turns into an endemic –which we all hope is soon — the days of taking a sick day are gone as this turns into a 2-week quarantine.

As a result, PTO benefits have increasingly shifted from providing X days of vacation time and X days of sick leave, to lumping it all together into general PTO time to be used for sick leave or vacation time as one needs.

But what employee wants to hear that they’ve used up all their PTO time due to a mandatory 2-week quarantine, and can’t take their hard-earned vacation?

What’s the solution?

Employers increasingly allow employees to work remotely, especially if they get sick. Rather than taking 2 weeks off, they can simply continue to work… just not from the office. This is especially true in the Silicon Valley, for obvious reasons.

Employers in industries requiring in-office presence (manufacturing, construction, and retail, etc.) may offer an extra 2 weeks per year of “Covid leave”. Employees still retain their vacation time without worrying about using it up for the “wrong” reasons.

This type of arrangement fosters appreciation and loyalty as employees, now more than ever, value support and stability from their employers.

Dynamic Search Consulting (DSC) is a boutique national executive search firm based in the Silicon Valley in San Jose, CA. Have a key position to fill? Give us a call for a complimentary consultation.