- Quickdraw McLaw
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Wilma has been an associate at Flintstone & Associates for over a year now, during which time she has not taken any significant vacation. Wilma’s friend Betty has invited Wilma to join her for a week at her time share property in Maui a little over a month from now in mid-September.
What is the best way for Wilma to approach taking off for a week’s vacation in September? She wants to go on vacation, but is worried about job security and the impact taking a vacation might have on a potential year-end bonus? Is it proper for an associate to take off an entire week? How much advance notice does she need to give? Does your advice change if the potential vacation is at a different time of year? Any other tips on vacation scheduling for the uninitiated?
Contrary to the partners' beliefs re. associates rights/needs, it is absolutely appropriate to use your two weeks any way you see fit. One month is plenty of time — but I wouldn't give any less notice. I remember my old PI job, I worked on a case from start to finish, but during my vacation, a partner took the phone call and "closed the deal" — my vacation cost me about $8,000 in bonus. As my own "mental" payback, I took a week vacation while set up my new office.
You left out a huge variable: How is Wilma's performance?
If Wilma's hours typically exceed her minimum requirement, her work is above average, clients don't complain about her, and her collected fees bear some resemblance to her billed fees – then yes, she should go frolic gleefully on the beaches of Maui.
But if Wilma is a problem associate, barely makes her hours, does substandard work, has her bills written down, and/or pisses off clients – then she should thank her lucky stars Flintstone allows her to stay employed. And she should spend that week she would have spent in Maui getting organized and figuring out how she can improve her performance.
It shouldn't matter how her performance is since attorney's should get vacation time just like anyone else. My secretary gets her 10 days and makes sure she takes every last one of them regardless of her performance. That said, it is always better to take vacation when you are in the good graces of the partner(s). It is also good to schedule vacation for the holidays when no one is around anyway to realize you aren't there.
"It shouldn't matter how her performance is since attorney's [sic] should get vacation time just like anyone else."
Sure, but not in the context of this hypothetical.
The original question stated "She wants to go on vacation, but is worried about job security and the impact taking a vacation might have on a potential year-end bonus"
Well, if her performance is average or below average, taking a week long vacation would certainly affect her job security and bonus hours. At least it would if she worked for me. And I do not think that is an unreasonable position.
And this is why I work for myself.
I guess it depends on the firm. If there is a straight bonus formula based on collections, then she knows what she is getting. If it is discretionary, it probably doesn't matter because that bonus structure never makes sense (e.g. $4000 bonus for 1,800 billed v. $8,000 for 2,400 billed = no point in billing more than 1,800 hours).
In either context, if the firm requires 1920 hours per year, and W doesn't get admin time for her vacation, she should make sure that she has her hours covered and realize that she really doesn't have a vacation.
I think it is a good idea if she finished important job and make sure that the job is okay although she go on vacation. keep all to your office to know the proceed of jobs and follow the development of the company's policy.