Additional Time Banks (PTO)
We’re reviewing how we structure certain types of leave—specifically Anniversary Award time, Holiday, and Bereavement Leave—and would love to hear how other centers approach similar situations.
These specific banks are in addition to our already generous PTO. Which is based on accrual and used to be one bank of time, but staff were frustrated that they never had time to cover for Holidays, so we backed it out of their PTO accrual, so it was separated and clearer.
A few years ago, we added an Anniversary Award benefit, offering one day of PTO per year. To keep it “equal,” we capped it at 8 hours for all staff. Bereavement is currently 3 days/24 hours or 1 day/8 hours, depending on relation. Holiday is 56 hours, but we add time for closing early on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and if we add days around Christmas.
However, our team includes employees with varied schedules—some work traditional 8-hour days, while others follow alternative full-time schedules (e.g., 9-hour days with a regular day off). This has raised questions about whether a flat-hour cap truly reflects fairness or if it unintentionally impacts morale.
We’re considering shifting Anniversary Award, Holiday, and Bereavement Leave to be based on days rather than hours, allowing staff to take a full scheduled day off regardless of its length. For example, bereavement leave would be 3 full days, rather than 24 hours, to avoid requiring staff to use PTO to cover the difference if their scheduled days are longer.
We’re curious how other centers balance the principle of equality with the importance of employee morale and flexibility.
Do you use hour-based or day-based leave for similar benefits?
Have you faced challenges with staff on varied schedules?
How do you ensure fairness while supporting staff well-being?
We’d appreciate any insights or approach you’ve found helpful!