Ninety percent of employers offer some version of paid time off (PTO) to full-time employees, the 劳工统计局 reports. Although offering PTO plans to employees is not required by law, these benefits can drastically improve the quality of company life. Because small businesses have no shortage of options when it comes to structuring their PTO policy, it’s important for owners to decide on their programs based on the unique needs of their operations and workforce.
When building a PTO program, small businesses must take a number of factors into consideration. Below are some common issues regarding PTO policies for small businesses.
One PTO Bank vs. Multiple PTO Days
这个问题涉及到休假时间的分配. Employers can label PTO for specific uses, such as sick days, vacation time or bereavement. They may also put PTO in a “bank,” designated for employees to use however they see fit.
When considering which allocation to use, companies should consider the following:
PTO Banks:
- Are easier to track
- 在员工之间创造公平的感觉
- 能减少计划外缺勤的次数吗
- 为员工招聘提供一个好的卖点
Multiple PTO Days:
- Help companies clearly demonstrate their compliance with labor laws
- Discourage employees from taking additional days off when they are not needed for their intended purpose (such as not being sick)
- 降低公司的财务负债
Accrued vs. Granted Time
这个问题是指员工如何获得他们的专利商标权. Accrued policies require employees to earn their PTO throughout the year, 要么是每个支付周期，要么是每个月. Granted policies give employees all their PTO at once, at the beginning of the year. If an employee starts work in the middle of the year, granted PTO is prorated accordingly.
Accrued Policies:
- Can make it easier for employers to stay fair to employees who enter the company mid-year
- 会更难以追踪吗
- May cause problems if an employee needs to “borrow” future PTO days and then decides to leave the company. It may prove difficult for companies to reclaim the time or compensation.
Granted Policies:
- 更容易计算
- May contribute to higher employee morale because of less boundaries on PTO
- May be exploited if an employee enters and exits the company quickly
- 会给公司带来损失吗, either because an employee enters and exits the payroll quickly or leaves early in the year (and thus requires the company to pay his or her PTO balance)
Rollover vs. “Use It or Lose It”
This issue refers to the way employers handle unused PTO. In rollover plans, any PTO that remains unused at the end of the year carries over into the next year’s plan. “Use it or lose it” policies only allow employees to use their allotted PTO within the year it is issued.
Rollover Plans:
- Are a nice way to accrue large amounts vacation time and can thus improve employee morale
- Run the risk of getting out of control (in other words, employees can accrue too much time)
- Can discourage employees from taking enough vacation time, 从而导致工作成果下降
使用它或失去它计划:
- 更容易分发
- May promote widespread employee absence toward the end of the year
- Are illegal in certain states, so employers must use caution
Flat vs. Tiered
这指的是专利商标局员工的收入. Flat systems give every employee the same amount of PTO. Tiered systems give more time off to employees who have worked at the company longer or who have increased levels of responsibility.
Flat Systems:
- 促进公平和平等的感觉
- Are easier to manage
Tiered Systems:
- 提高员工的忠诚度
- Can become increasingly complicated to operate as a business grows
Ultimately, all small business owners must decide for themselves which PTO plan is right for them. There is no right answer when it comes to building a PTO policy — base decisions on each company’s unique size, culture and resources.
Sources: TriNet, FitSmallBusiness, Insperity, ADP
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