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This is what my current situation looks like. I have an offer from a big tech company, with a start date of around mid November. At my current job I have around a week's worth of unused PTO and I would like to use it before I quit. I feel I have three options and would greatly appreciate, if someone here could help me take the right decision.

  1. Provide a three week notice and request for a week off so that I can use my PTO. The only risk here is that my manager is a bit too sensitive and he may not grant me a week's leave, or worse use option 3.
  2. Use my PTO first and then give a two week notice, thus risk 'hurting' my managers feelings
  3. Encash the PTO and quit a week before the start date of the new job. This risk losing insurance coverage for a week.

Personally, I like option 1.I'm sure many people would have been through this, any suggestion on how I should handle this?

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  • Usually Cobra handles means you'll have insurance between jobs, even if you quit voluntarily. Note some employers will dismiss you instead of waiting for you to use your PTO, once they find out your leaving. Even when its kind of shady, its sometimes a petty way to get back at the employee and also to cut their losses. – Mark Rogers Oct 10 '17 at 3:02
  • Yeah, I do not trust my Manager, he may resort to such petty tactics. He hasn't been harsh on others that left his team before me, but don't want to risk it. I'm on an H-1 visa and I'm not sure if COBRA would cover me? – Tesla88 Oct 10 '17 at 3:06
  • What is the notice period you agreed on contract? – DarkCygnus♦ Oct 10 '17 at 3:46
  • I would suggest forget about your PTO. Give your 2 week notice period after a week. Simply encash the PTO post serving your 2 week notice period. You are complicating it by bringing in your PTO. Just treat it as a normal exit if you didn't have any PTO. – Rishi Goel Oct 10 '17 at 4:00
  • @rishi The thing is I would like to take a break, if I'm between jobs I may lose insurance coverage and I don't want that. I did think about it, but that would be the last option. – Tesla88 Oct 10 '17 at 4:17
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  1. Use my PTO first and then give a two week notice, thus risk 'hurting' my managers feelings

This is the professional way of dealing with it. You're under no obligation to inform management of anything prior to giving notice.

From your comments I think your manager is going to be upset anyway, what this does is give him less time to be petty about things while still giving a 2 week notice and acting professionally.

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  • 1
    When you think about it: You should tell your management before you leave, and that is called "giving notice". Why should you tell your management earlier that you are going to tell them that you are going to leave? – gnasher729 Oct 10 '17 at 6:22
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any suggestion on how I should handle this?

Two things to consider here:

First, if you have unused paid time off you are in all your rights to use them whenever you want; if you have some time accumulated means that you haven't taken a break in a while, so it is understandable that you wish to use it.

Second, at the time you give in your leave notice it is possible that your manager decides to dismiss you right there, in that moment. This means that even though you give your notice earlier you may not be able to "use" that PTO, and be compensated for it (as you have correctly guessed in your options).

Therefore, if your goal is to use that time, it would be better to spend that PTO and then present your leave notice, respecting the minimum time period you agreed on contract (usually two weeks).

As I said, you are in your rights to use them, so I suggest you don't feel bad about it. However, it could be a nice gesture from your part to try give your notice period a bit earlier if you can (maybe when you are in PTO, so they can better plan your departure tasks if any), but in now way you should feel obliged to do so.

Now, if you really feel like it is a somewhat distasteful move to do, then you would probably be better taking option 1. It is better to do it that way instead of having a grudge afterwards, so consider if that is what you really feel. Hope this helps you out.

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  • "you are in all your rights to use them whenever you want" within reason, I think we all either know of situations where leave has been denied. You have a right to use it, but not whenever you want. I agree with the rest of your answer though! – SaggingRufus Oct 10 '17 at 10:48

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