Taking Vacation After Starting A New Job Rules And Tips

Unsplash/Charisse Kenion

When starting a new job, there are so many important things to figure out. There’s your salary, the office dynamics, the vibe with your new boss… but let’s talk about the important stuff. Like, how soon can you go on vacation after starting a new job?

There are two main scenarios you could find yourself in when accepting a new job offer or beginning a new gig. Here’s how to navigate either without alienating your new boss.

If you have a trip booked before accepting a job offer…

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Let’s say you have two weeks set aside for the vacay of your dreams. At your old job, they knew you, they trusted you and you could easily take 10 days off of work. Or maybe you were so checked outta there that you didn’t care what they thought about this giant chunk of PTO time. Either way, your vacation plans were approved by the old boss. But then a new job offer came through before your departure date. What do you do?

First off, wait until you have an official job offer to broach the subject of your planned vacation. Once you have an offer on the table, ask the hiring manager if the company can work around your vacation plans. Your next moves vary depending on your new supervisor’s response. You can either offer to start working after your trip, take the days as unpaid leave or use normal vacation days — it all depends on the employer.

But keep in mind that you don’t necessarily want to use every one of your paid time off (PTO) days within the first month of working there. Try to come up with a way to save some vacation time for later on in your first year. Ideally, start the new gig after your vacation.

If you’re new to a job and need a vacation…

Unsplash/Herson Rodriguez

Here’s some unfortunate news. It doesn’t look great to take a vacation within three months of moving to a new workplace. Some employers might not even allow it, mandating that you have to build up a stock of PTO as you work. But if you’re three months in and there are some irresistible plane tickets to Bali, what’s your move?

In a new workplace, you want to gauge the company norms for vacation. There might be a certain month where your boss needs all hands on deck or a busy season where it’s hard to be short a team member. Your boss will appreciate your foresight if you inquire about the best time for you to start planning a vacation — once you’re three months into the job.

But you might also be lucky enough to snag a job at a company that prioritizes vacation. Maybe it’s okay to take a vacation every couple of months. You won’t know until you ask.

A good rule of thumb is that if you’re still struggling to get the hang of the job, you probably shouldn’t take a vacation. Wait until you feel secure and like you’re rocking the new gig. Then jet off for some R&R.

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