Vacation Days

[cozmosis]

As is the norm in many firehouses, I'm sure... A topic of conversation lately in our firehouse is about how much we're paid and how much vacation time we should receive every year. And as in most places, there are those who feel we deserve much more... And there are those that are more than happy with the lot they've been given. Regardless, it's gotten me wondering how we compare with other departments.

For the first five years of employment, we're given 120 hours of vacation time a year plus 72 hours of personal leave. After five years, the 120 figure increases by 10 every additonal five years. The personal leave is essentially vacation time... but with less restriction so that it can be used when something pops up unplanned. Our department is on a three-platoon, 24/48 (roughly) system.

So, how about your department? How much do you get? Are you trying to get more? Are you happy with what you have?

[MalahatTwo7]

While its not quite the organization you're commenting on, the Canadian Forces grant 20 working days off per year for the first 5 years, and then we get 25 days off between 6 and 29 years of service. At year 30 and beyond, we get 30 days off a year. I am at the 25 days per year marker right now.

In addition to that we are authorized to request an extra 48hrs per month as "short leave", however this is not an entitlement per se. Its a benefit that is mostly granted for working extra hours, or on completion of special projects or time away from home (read FIELD time LOL).

[GreenJT]

05-08 contract

• 0-4yrs 15.4hrs/mth 184.8hrs/yr

• 5-8yrs 17.8hrs/mth 213.6hrs/yr

• 9-12yrs 20.2hrs/mth 213.6hrs/yr

• 13-16yrs 22.6hrs/mth 271.2hrs/yr

• 17+yrs 25hrs/mth 300hrs/yr

• 24/48hrs shift A-B-C shifts

[BirkenVogt]

Being on the low end of the pay scale and working 72 on/96 off I get 12 hours vacation per pay period (13/yr) plus 11 holidays per year or maybe it's 13? So that's 156 hours vacation plus 264 hours holidays for a total of 420 hours IIRC which means I can take almost 6 tours off per year.

Unfortunately my base pay is not all that great. Plus working 3 days a week nobody really wants to do overtime since they are away from home too much anyhow. And we have people out injured, turnover, etc. so overtime is necessary anyway. So we are looking to negotiate this into a better system. Right now people have way too much time banked because nobody wants to take time off and stick the others with the extra shifts.

Birken

[KenNFD1219]

The fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. You get credit for years of service by fiscal year, not completed years. For example, a fire fighter hired on May 1st would not get vaction time for May or June. On July 1st, he would be considered in the 1 to 5 year range and get 2 weeks.

Less than 1 year, no vacation
1-5 years 2 weeks vacation (12 working days)
6-10 years 3 weeks (18 days)
11-15 years 4 weeks (24 days)
15+ years 5 weeks (30 days)

The shifts are 3 day shifts (9 hours), 3 days off, 3 nights (15 hrs), 3 days off. One full weeks vacation is 15 days off.
Everyone gets 5 personal days (comes off sick time) per year.

A fire fighter takes individual shifts or groups of shifts off until the time is used up.

[ehs7554]

...........................

[BD6413]

12hr. Shifts 0600-1800 on the 2-2-3-2 rotation schedule -

Combination department -

1 Week {40hrs. Vac. after 1 year + 3 personal days}

2 Weeks {80hrs. Vac. after 2 years + 3 personal days}

Comp Time for shifts worked past the normal 12 - {If we're held over to work the night tour we'll receive 12 hours comp. usually resulting in the next daywork off. Or we can bank it up to a pre-determined amount of hours before we have to take it. Only down fall is that you must use all your personal time before years end.....We don't roll it over year to year.

** We receive additional time after longjevity - Because we work for a volunteer organization we're taken care of in alot of aspects especially personal time.{No contracts, union arbitration, or municipal rules - We just ask and receive} For example we can be granted time off and not charged for it.....

[rfd599]

Rockford (IL) is on the low end of the pay scale for Illinois comparing our suburban Chicago brothers.

I am a sixth year FF and my base is around $52K. We negotiated 60 hours of mandatory overtime in our contract and that gets paid out at the end of the year (bonus cash around the holidays). We also get a 2% longevity raise every five years. Paramedics on the job make an extra $2400 annually.

In terms of vacation, I get the following time off:

Vacation-(5) 24 hour shifts
Kelly Days-(11) 24 hour shifts
Holidays-(5) 24 hour shifts

Total: 21 shifts/year

This total increases to a max of 28 days off at around 25 years on the job.

rfd599
www.IllinoisFireStore.com

[Dave1983]

I dont have it in front of me, but I think we start at 5 shifts (24hrs) vacation and top out at 16 shifts after 12 years. We also get 9 paid holidays per year (@12 hrs each) which equals another 4.5 shifts.

We dont get Kelly days, our choice by contract. We get built in OT every check instead.

[hwoods]

And..............

My last day at work prior to starting my Summer vacation was June 12th. I go back to work on September 6th. My Winter Vacation will be from December 12th to February 20th. I LOVE THIS JOB!!!.......

[mcfd45]

What is a kelly day?

[ehs7554]

.....................................

[Jonathan Bastian]

Lexington FD just got a new component in their contract: September 11th is a paid holiday. Supposedly, LFD is the first in the nation to receive Sept. 11th as a holiday. We didn't get it in the PD, but the LFD contract was negotiated after ours.

[ADSNWFLD]

The true number you should look at is time on shift (TOS) it is a combination of all your days off.
We are right at 101 days on.
15 vac and 6 kelly (and it was named after the Chicago Mayor)

[gunnyv]

Vacation time

5 Yrs or less=6 days (24 hr days)
5-10 yrs=9 days
10-20 yrs=12 days
20+=13 days

All personnel also receive a birthday (which is a vac day you can take anytime), and 2 personal business days that can be transferred to vacation days if not used. We work a 56hr week, schedule is XOXOXOOOO. We can accumulate up to 22 in our bank.

Only complaints we have about vacation time revolve around how it is selected.