So You‘re Curious About Amazon‘s Vacation Policy in 2025? Here‘s the Inside Scoop.

If you‘re considering working for Amazon, or just started a new role there, you probably have questions about their vacation policy. How much time off do they offer? Do part-timers get vacation days? What about new hires?

I‘ve dug into the details to give you the insider‘s guide to Amazon vacation benefits in 2024. Whether you‘re comparing employers, or just want to max out your own time off, this is your all-in-one resource.

Let‘s dive in!

At a Glance: How Amazon‘s Vacation Policy Works

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details, here‘s a quick overview:

• Paid vacation for both hourly and salaried workers
• Part-timers and full-timers eligible
• Time off accrues each paycheck based on hours worked
• More vacation time in year two versus year one
• Unused vacation rolls over year after year
• Additional personal time off (sick, mental health days, etc.)
• 7 paid holidays per year
• Leaves of absence offered for health, family needs

So in a nutshell, Amazon offers fairly generous vacation plus additional paid leave options. Now let‘s look at how this breaks down for different types of employees.

Demystifying Vacation Accrual for Hourly Employees

If you work an hourly wage job for Amazon like in the warehouses or delivery stations, your vacation time will accrue weekly based on the hours you put in.

Amazon separates hourly workers into a few categories:

Full-Time (40 hrs/week) – Class F:

• 1st year: 5 vacation days
• 2nd year: 10 vacation days
• 3+ years: 15 vacation days

Reduced Time (30-39 hrs/week) – Class R:

• 1st year: 3.75 vacation days
• 2nd year: 7.5 vacation days
• 3+ years: 11.25 vacation days

Part-Time (20-29 hrs/week) – Class H:

• 1st year: 2.5 vacation days
• 2nd year: 5 vacation days
• 3+ years: 7.5 vacation days

So every hour you work, you‘re slowly accruing more time off. A 40 hr/week employee earns approximately 4 hours of vacation per 2 week pay period.

Hourly workers in California have similar vacation accrual, but the classifications are a bit different. Check with your HR rep for specifics.

Let‘s compare the differences visually:

Employee Type	1st Year Vacation Days	2nd Year+ Vacation Days
Full-time (Class F)	5 days	10-15 days
Reduced Time (Class R)	3.75 days	7.5-11.25 days
Part-time (Class H)	2.5 days	5-7.5 days

The takeaway? Even part-time hourly workers get vacation time at Amazon!

How Salaried Employees Earn Vacation

For salaried employees at Amazon‘s corporate offices and leadership roles, vacation accrual is also based on average weekly hours:

40+ hrs/week:

• 1st year: 10 vacation days
• 2+ years: 15 vacation days

30-39 hrs/week:

• 1st year: 7.5 vacation days
• 2+ years: 11.25 vacation days

20-29 hrs/week:

• 1st year: 5 vacation days
• 2+ years: 7.5 vacation days

So for a full-time salaried worker, you‘d accrue about 6.5 hours of vacation per pay period. Pretty nice!

Salaried employees tend to have more flexibility on when they take vacation compared to hourly shift workers. But the time off still accumulates based on hours just like hourly workers.

Inside the Accrual Process: How Vacation Builds Up

Now you might be wondering – how exactly does this vacation time accrue?

Vacation accumulates incrementally per paycheck, similar to your regular wages. Each hour worked chips away piece-by-piece at your annual vacation allotment.

For example, say a full-time hourly worker gets 5 vacation days their first year:

• 5 vacation days = 40 hours
• Divided into 26 pay periods/year
• Equals ~1.54 hours accrued per pay period

So each year on January 1st, you‘re automatically allotted your full vacation time amount based on your tenure and hours. Then a tiny slice accrues per paycheck until you hit your max. Pretty cool right?

You can watch your vacation balance grow on each paystub to see how close you are to fully ‘unlocking‘ your yearly allotment.

And any unused time? It rolls over year after year with no expiration. So you can build up a nice vacation savings if you like!

Planning Your Time Off

Okay, let‘s talk about actually using this vacation you‘re stockpiling. How does that work?

You‘ll need to formally request vacation through Amazon‘s internal time off system. Hourly employees typically submit to their onsite manager, while corporate staff go through their reporting manager.

Vacation can be requested down to the hour – say if you just want to slip away a few hours early before a long weekend. You submit the request and once approved, HR deducts from your balance and you‘re all set!

Now fair warning, for hourly employees, peak seasons and blackout dates may restrict vacations. For example, Fulfillment Center employees often cannot take vacation time during Amazon‘s Prime peak in the summer.

Your manager will communicate any limitations, but it‘s smart to plan your biggest trips for slower periods and give lots of lead time.

For corporate employees with more schedule flexibility, coordinating time off around big meetings or projects will create the least disruption. Communication and advance notice are key!

Take Personal Time Off Guilt-Free

Besides vacation days, Amazon also offers paid personal time off (PPTO) to all employees. Think of PPTO as your sick days, mental health days, doctor visits, religious holidays, unexpected emergencies, etc.

The amount you receive depends on your weekly schedule:

• 20-29 hrs/week: 3 PPTO days
• 30-39 hrs/week: 4.5 PPTO days
• 40+ hrs/week: 6 PPTO days

This accrues similar to vacation time, credited incrementally each pay period. And the beauty of PPTO is unlike vacation, you can use it anytime – no need to formally request it in advance in most cases. Just notify your manager if you‘ll be out.

Having PPTO in your back pocket is great for life‘s unexpected moments like sick kids, flat tires, weather closures. You won‘t lose a whole vacation day to those little disruptions!

Holidays – Paid Time Off AND Premium Pay!

Who doesn‘t love a good paid holiday? Well at Amazon, you get seven per year:

• New Year‘s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

Corporate employees typically get the day off with pay for holidays (score!). Meanwhile, hourly facility employees who do work on a holiday reap double rewards – holiday pay plus 1.5X their regular wages.

Holidays like Christmas and Prime Day are extremely popular for picking up extra shifts. So you can take advantage of some nice holiday pay opportunities if you like working the special occasions.

Either way – paid holiday or premium pay – you can‘t go wrong with extra time off and/or boosted earnings.

Taking Longer Leave When You Need It

Amazon understands life throws curveballs and employees need extended time away from work sometimes – whether it‘s for health reasons, new children, family matters, or personal needs.

That‘s why they offer leaves of absence up to several months long, including:

• Medical leave
• Family leave
• Military leave
• Jury duty
• Bereavement
• Personal leave

Each type of leave has eligibility rules you must meet to qualify. Most are unpaid, except where required by certain state laws. And your job will be protected while you‘re away.

Having these long-term leave options brings peace of mind. You can take comfort knowing Amazon will support you through life‘s challenges that require extra time off.

State Laws – Your Policy Might Vary

Now it‘s important to note that federal, state, and local laws sometimes supersede Amazon‘s policies. So depending on where you live, you may be entitled to different (usually better) benefits.

A few examples:

• California – 1.5X annual accrual cap for vacation; paid sick leave
• Washington – Paid out unused vacation upon termination
• Colorado – Faster vacation accrual; vacation payout
• Oregon – After 90 days earn 1 hour per 30 hours worked

If you live in these states, become familiar with the employee-friendly laws to maximize your time off. Always refer to state laws if there‘s a discrepancy with Amazon‘s corporate policy.

Find Out Your Facility‘s Details

Want to find specifics on vacation policies for your facility? Check out these handy resources:

• New hire paperwork
• Employee handbook
• Breakroom posters
• HR representative
• Internal sites like Inside Amazon
• Benefits website

HR can clarify any eligibility questions and how vacation works at your unique site. It‘s a smart idea to fully understand your facility‘s policies so you can take advantage of all the time off you‘ve earned!

Maximize Your Paid Time Off

Now that you‘re a vacation policy expert, let‘s quickly recap how to make the most of your Amazon time off:

• Accrue continuously – keep working and that vacation keeps building
• Rollover fully – no use it or lose it here!
• Plan ahead – ask about blackout dates in advance
• Use PPTO – for doctor visits, sick days, personal matters
• Maximize holidays – get the pay and time off benefits
• Communicate – coordinate schedules with managers

When it comes to paid time off, knowledge is power. Use your vacation days strategically so you can relax and recharge without worrying about work. You‘ve earned it!

The Bottom Line on Amazon Vacation

Well, there you have it folks – everything you could want to know about Amazon‘s vacation policy. I hope breaking down the accrual amounts, eligibility, and how to request time off was helpful.

The main takeaways are:

• All employees earn vacation – full-time, part-time, hourly, salaried
• You accrue continuously based on hours worked
• Unused time rolls over year-to-year without expiring
• Personal time off provides additional flexibility

Amazon makes vacation and other paid time off a priority – which is great for achieving work-life balance as an employee. Now that you understand the details, it‘s time to start planning those getaways! You‘ll return feeling refreshed and ready for success.