Vacation, more properly a vacation, is a period of absence from a specific work, or even a specific assignment or travel, usually for the purpose of tourism or recreation. Generally people frequently take a vacation either for certain holidays or for special festivals or events. Vacations also may be spent with family or friends. There are many kinds of vacations and a wide range of available options. Vacations can be planned for leisure and recreation, for business travel, or as a means to spend time with a romantic partner or with friends. Vacation planning involves evaluating vacation options, estimating required traveling time and expense, and devising a realistic travel plan.
There are a number of ways of arranging for a vacation. Most people plan their own vacations by spending at least two weeks in advance. This allows them to make travel arrangements at an earlier date and to select the appropriate hotel or resort. Some prefer taking a paid vacation instead of taking a free vacation, and there are several options available. Vacation packages, including travel and hotel accommodations, include airfare, cruise ship trips, and resort or vacation packages that include accommodations, food, and attractions.
An employee’s entitlement to a paid time away from work depends on the type of employment – full-time, part-time, temporary, agency, self-employed, and contract work. Temporary contractual jobs and self-employment do not afford the same kind of paid time away from work that full-time positions and contracts do. The length of time away will depend on the type of employee’s coverage and entitlement. For example, if an employee is scheduled to work a certain number of hours per week, he or she is entitled to that number of hours of paid time away from work. If an employee takes vacation time off, but does not need to travel because the vacation destination is an extended stay resort, she is not eligible for vacation time away from work.
If employees have access to paid time off from work and have unused vacation time, employers may reimburse employees for vacation expenses. However, before an employee is eligible for vacation pay, an employer must carefully review each employee’s eligibility. In many cases, an employee’s eligibility for vacation pay is determined by the amount of unused vacation time, as well as the number of days during which the employee has been employed. If an employee is covered under a group or union contract that provides for paid vacation leave, the benefits of that contract will usually supersede other considerations.
If an employee is hired full-time and is then put on a part-time schedule, there will be a choice between vacation pay and a prorated salary deduction. Under a prorated salary deduction, the employer deducts a predetermined amount of salary from the full-time employee’s salary. An employee can choose to use vacation days or vacation leave as a form of compensation for being put on a part-time schedule and then given vacation pay.
Employers may also provide their employees with a health benefit package that includes vacation time off. In these cases, both health benefits and vacation time off are considered separate from each other. Because health benefits may not be the only motivation for an employee to take time off, and because employees are usually given an extension of six to twelve months, many employers allow their full-time employees to take time off and receive both health benefits and vacation time off at the same time. For these reasons, it may be more affordable for an individual worker to take time off from work and receive both health benefits and vacation time than it would be for an employee to take time off and receive no health benefits or a paid vacation.