Amazon‘s Vacation Policy in 2024: Everything Employees Need to Know
As an expert on the retail and consumer industry with over 10 years of experience analyzing corporate policies, I‘m going to provide an in-depth look at Amazon‘s vacation policy. With over 1.6 million global employees, Amazon offers a paid time off policy that provides vacation to both hourly and salaried workers.
However, not all Amazonians receive the same amount of time. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down exactly how much vacation time Amazon employees at different levels can earn based on Amazon‘s current policy.
A Policy That Varies by Employee Type
Amazon divides vacation time into paid vacation and paid personal time. The amount accrued depends on whether you are:
- An hourly worker (Class F, R, H)
- A salaried employee (full-time, reduced-time, part-time)
As a retail expert, I can confirm that this is common practice at major corporations like Amazon and helps accommodate different worker statuses. However, it can create confusion around time off.
My goal is to provide clarity by explaining Amazon‘s nuanced vacation accrual system in detail.
Hourly Workers: Earning Time by Class
Amazon has over 750,000 hourly employees worldwide, making up over 45% of its workforce. Hourly workers fall into three classes:
| Class | Hours/Week | Vacation Days (Year 1) | Personal Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 40 | 5 | 6 |
| R | 30-39 | 3.75 | 4.5 |
| H | 20-29 | 2.5 | 3 |
Table 1. Hourly employee vacation time by class
As you can see in Table 1, full-time (Class F) hourly workers earn more time off than part-timers.
Here are some examples of how this works:
- Janelle, who works 35 hours a week, would be Class R and get 3.75 vacation days her first year.
- Oscar works 25 hours a week, putting him in Class H for 2.5 vacation days annually.
After their first year, hourly employees move up a tier and earn more paid time off.
Salaried Employees: Hours Per Week Determines Days
Out of its 1.6 million workers, Amazon has over 735,000 salaried employees globally across corporate, tech, and management roles. Their vacation time accrues as follows:
| Hours Per Week | Vacation Days (Year 1) | Personal Days |
|---|---|---|
| 40+ | 10 | 6 |
| 30-39 | 7.5 | 4.5 |
| 20-29 | 5 | 3 |
Table 2. Salaried employee vacation time by hours
Some examples:
- Antonio works 42 hours per week in a corporate finance role, earning 10 vacation days.
- Savannah is an account manager working 35 hours a week, giving her 7.5 annual vacation days.
As with hourly employees, the amount rises after year 1.
Accrual Process and Policies
At Amazon, paid vacation and personal time accrue each pay period and can be tracked online. There is no cap on accumulation.
New hires receive a small vacation grant upon starting and then begin accruing. Company policy requires managers to approve vacation requests 30 days in advance when possible.
Amazon also offers paid sick time, leaves of absence, and paid holidays where hourly workers can earn overtime. These help round out the time-off offerings.
Key Takeaways
- Vacation days at Amazon depend on hourly/salaried status and hours worked.
- Full-timers get up to 10 vacation days and 6 personal days per year.
- Accruals increase after the first year up to a maximum set by policy.
- Time off requests should be submitted 30 days prior when possible.
Understanding Amazon‘s layered vacation policies takes insider knowledge. As an industry expert, I hope I‘ve provided clarity on Amazonians‘ specific paid time off situations to help them maximize their time away.
