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I got an offer with a much better salary than my current salary. The written, official offer was sent to me via email. I accepted it via email (nothing signed yet) and one day after giving my resignation letter to my current employer, she (current employer) gave me a counter offer with basically the same terms as the other company, except that I have 1 extra week of vacation per year in my current company.

I had tried to negotiate that extra week at the beginning of this process because it's important to me but was told I couldn't get it because everyone gets the same amount of vacation. Because I originally was offered more money than I'm making, I was ok with letting that extra vacation week go; but now that my employer matched the offer, that extra week becomes more appealing.

Would it be ok to try again to negotiate that week after I already told them yes? I don't see myself staying in my current company just for the extra week, but I'm wondering if I should try to get it. Somehow, because it's not money it doesn't seem so bad to me, plus there is new info on the table since I told them yes, namely the counter offer from my current employer. Would it give a bad image to bring it up again with the new company?

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    If you really need the week, ask about flextime or whether you can earn bonus points for providing holiday coverage or some such. Or consider asking about taking it as unpaid time, if it's something that is a one-time absolute unavoidable like a sibling's wedding; you've already said the salary was high enough that you were ok with losing those vacation days.
    – keshlam
    Commented Nov 11, 2015 at 4:51
  • There are other ways of having days without holidays. In my current work it is accepted working remotely, or trading days i.e. I am working a bank holiday/weekend day for a customer, instead of being paid, I need a day off.
    – Rui F Ribeiro
    Commented Jun 25, 2019 at 11:33

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I don't think this is advisable. You are in first impressions territory right now with your new employer. From their perspective they've presented you with an offer and you've formally accepted their terms. The negotiating phase has already passed and you're heading into contract territory.

I had tried to negotiate that extra week at the beginning of this process because it's important to me but was told I couldn't get it because everyone gets the same amount of vacation.

This also suggests to me that the terms are inflexible. You're likely to create a situation which you will have to later back away from leaving you right where you are now with the same two options.

That said, is this a deal breaker for you? If this is enough that you would happily stay at your current employer over taking the position then it's worth at least making the attempt with them as you have a fallback you're happy with. If not and you're leaving anyway then I don't think this would be a great first step with the new company.

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    spot on, whatever impression you make now will probably stick
    – Kilisi
    Commented Nov 11, 2015 at 4:44
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    Appreciated @Kilisi - can't believe I beat you to an answer for once!
    – Michael A
    Commented Nov 11, 2015 at 4:55
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    got it. i was more interested on whether it would make me look bad, which you answered so thank you, but I just wanted to clarify that the part you highlighted: "everyone else gets the same" sounded to me at the time like a canned response. Again, i don't think that has an effect on your answer since I wanted to know if i would look bad
    – Undecided
    Commented Nov 11, 2015 at 5:03
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    @Undecided I think it's quite likely that it's a firm position - not unheard of. It probably sounded canned because it's not the first time they've had to state that position, that doesn't necessarily indicate that it's negotiable. Best of luck with whichever option you go with!
    – Michael A
    Commented Nov 11, 2015 at 5:06
  • "everyone else gets the same" sounds to me as if they have no flexibility in their HR system for calculating vacation and are not willing to add it.
    – HLGEM
    Commented Nov 11, 2015 at 14:42

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