Take a pay-cut at work for more holidays?

[VenusOfWillendorf]

I work a 40 hour week, exclusive of breaks. Our main office is West Coast US - so most of the meetings do tend to be late afternoon.I've been finding the work day to be feel very long.We are required to take at least 30 mins for lunch; if we don't take a break, the 30 mins is deducted anyway (so work day is 8.5 - 9 hours, depending on lunch break - you can take as long as you like).
My work hours are calculated with a clock in/out machine - so for me it's essentially a 8.30am - 5/5.30pm work day - usually working till 6 or 7pm a few days (and then the odd half day here and there if the 'time balance' is in credit - we have flexi-time).

My manager just asked me if I'd like to work at 90% (36 hrs/wk). I'd probably still do 40 hours, but it wouldgive me an extra 26 days holidays/year (I already get 26 days - so 52 in total). The suggestion was purely for my own sake (not a business need particularly - I currently have a manager who is very big on mental health and burn-out prevention).
I could afford the 10% pay-cut with some budgeting - but I'm really not sure if I'd be better off earning as much as I can now (and my work day is not that bad, even if does feel very long, especially in Winter), and saving towards retirement (am late 40s - and pretty happy with current pension pot,though more is always better).

Would it be unreasonable to take the pay cut and have more holidays?!
Unreasonable is probably not the right word ... more would it be foolish I suppose? WWYD?

I'd do it in a heartbeat. I don't know the tax system in the US but it probably won't actually be a 10% pay drop when you factor in tax. 52 days a year is a day a week!

I'm not in the US, just work with them (hence the late meetings).
I hadn't actually thought about the tax thing! Manager just suggested it, and it is SO tempting. I should look into that a lot more ….

I would absolutely do that, if you can possibly afford it. I take unpaid leave to increase my holiday allowance and the extra time off makes such a difference.

10% pay cut for 26 extra days?? Yep, would totally be taking that up; wouldn't even question it! If you can afford it then go for it.

Yanbu.

I would. Actually, I work half time but would quite like to increase daily hours if I could get correspondingly more holiday.

Do it. In a few years time tour oay will be back up to where t was before anyways

If you can afford to lose 10% (check the actual different it makes on a payment calculator) then yes I'd definitely go for it. If it were me I'd do it in a flash!

I would go for it!

Missing the point though - you would actually lose 2.6 days from your original holiday allocation , due to the fact you would only get 90% of it.

Are you sure this is what is being offered?
In my team, we could easily cope with someone working 90% hours, means that they worked 1 hour less 4 days a week, or had every Fri afternoon off.
But turn that into working 40 hours a week but taking 5 more weeks holiday? That’d be a PITA to roster the holidays.

Would I take a 10% gross pay cut for 5 weeks holiday? In a heartbeat, yes. Would I just finish earlier every day with no extra holiday and a hit on my pension savings plans in my early 50s (bit older than you? Nope.

I would!

Have a look at www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk as it’s really good for working out different hours plus you can add pensions, childcare vouchers plus any other deductions you have. It’s been accurate for me give or take 10 pence or so.
Less hours for more holidays is a no brainer for me if the money isn’t much less.

I'd do it in a heartbeat!

But what's in it for the company? They only save 10% but lose you for 26days a year?

Definitely if I could afford the pay cut.

I'd do it without question.

They only save 10% but lose you for 26 days a year?
They lose me for 4 hours a week - over 52 weeks, that adds up to 26 days a year.

For me would depend on what you’d do with the extra time off

If you could easily use it and it not cost lots, going holidays / days out etc then I’d do it

But if you’re going to be spending way more and potentially not be able to do that with other family / spouse as they don’t have so many holidays, I’d probably just stay as I was

So you aren't actually getting an extra 26 days annual leave that will have to be covered, you are reducing your hours?

I am PT so I work 21h per week now, I don't consider myself as having an extra 29 days annual leave per year! I had a change to my contract and my working hours have changed (my pay was pro-rated accordingly too of course!)

@VenusOfWillendorf

They presumably calculate [possibly with some justification] that you will do roughly the same amount of work in the reduced time due to better morale, feeling more valued etc.

Also you don't work 52 weeks a year do you? You work 47 weeks (26 days works out as just over 5 weeks annual leave)

You are just reducing hours, NOT getting any extra holiday
... unless you can continue to work 40 hour weeks and put 4 hours weekly towards extra vacation days

Sorry - are you actually going to be working 4 hours less a week (not worth it to me) or working the same hours as currently for 10% less pay and getting 26 days holiday in return (definitely worth it).

Are you sure you have that right ? 4 hrs less a week is not really the same as 26 extra leave days are you sure if you carry on working 40 hrs a week they would give you the time off in lieu ?

If you’re right that you’re allowed to work the 40 hours and convert it to as many full days off as you like, I’d be gobsmacked. I expect almost everyone I work with would bite their hands off for that (especially higher rate tax payers). It would be bloody difficult managing all those people having the best part of 10 weeks off a year. Cover in the team would be a PITA, as would continuity for internal and external clients.

If you could take it as half a day a week I'd go for it. So working same hours on other days, but an afternoon off every week.