Is this rule outdated for taking leave before May 31st?

Every May, companies face the same problem when leave requests pile up. Sure, the month is rich with public holidays, which is good for bridge building. But for most employees, it’s also about Clear your paid time off balance by May 31 The penalty is to lose it all. HR runs the risk of creating request congestion as HR tries to keep everyone happy.

This is the default rule: you get paid time off between June 1 and May 31, and then you can take paid time off between the following June 1 and May 31. ‘A bit strange’ – and a bit outdated- which leads to “Holiday Contest” Before the deadline, Benoît Serre, vice president of the National Association of Human Resources Directors (ANDRH), gave his approval. “A recurring problem in May”This was echoed by Éric Chevée, vice-president of the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME), who called on employers to organise themselves carefully and ensure that employees take leave gradually to avoid crowding.

Possible postponement

In fact, many companies have adopted this framework, Benoît Serre emphasizes. In particular, they allow employees to carry forward the balance of unused days beyond 31 May. Company agreements can provide for exemptions. Employees can also deposit remaining vacation time in a time savings account (CET), which can sometimes be monetized. So should we abandon this outdated rule? Not necessarily, the two experts emphasize, pointing out that it remains flexible enough for companies to adapt. “Also, by forcing employees to take time off, it prevents them from accumulating too much and then being away for two or three months at a time.””, points out Éric Chevée.

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No holidays in the first year?

Another rule raises questions: Employees can’t take vacation time during their first few months at the company until they’ve completed their first vesting period. “Fewer and fewer companies are using it””, stresses Benoît Serre. They usually allow you to use your days during the acquisition, which prevents employees from finding themselves without a year off, especially since changes in companies are more frequent than before. If the employment contract is terminated, the employee is paid for the remaining vacation days not taken. “It could be a significant amount of money that needs to be paid, which would be a heavy burden for small businesses.”emphasizes Éric Chevée.

If in most companies we adapt to this imperfect system to become more flexible, some prefer to overhaul everything to simplify the management of leave. They are then credited on January 1st of each year, as with RTT, with no acquisition period and valid until December 31st.