It’s always a good idea to research the company before applying for a role there since different retail stores have different policies for vacation time and other benefits.
So if you’re planning to apply to Home Depot to work as an associate, you may be wondering – what is Home Depot’s vacation policy? Here is what I’ve discovered through my research!
Home Depot’s Vacation Policy
Home Depot’s vacation policy depends on the number of hours an employee works, so it is different for part-time and full-time employees. Employees’ vacation days are accrued through their work hours, so once they’ve earned enough, they can take a vacation day, pending approval from their manager.
If you want to learn more about how much vacation time you can take at Home Depot, how does vacation time accumulation work, and much more, keep reading!
How Much Vacation Time Can An Employee Take At Home Depot?
As a Home Depot employee, your vacation time will depend entirely on how much you have worked.
Various sources from past employees state that you get a week’s worth of vacation time after working for a year as a part-time employee.
In addition, other sources state that permanent part-time workers receive 20 hours of vacation time for their first year and 40 hours for their second year.
This can accumulate to 3 weeks if you have been working at Home Depot for at least 5 years.
Note that paid time off (PTO) works differently as this covers sick and emergency days as well.
Although it is not in the same vein as vacation time when used, it is also accumulated depending on the number of hours you have worked.
How Does Vacation Time Accumulation Work At Home Depot?
When you’re selecting vacation time and requesting days off at Home Depot, you’ll be asked to provide a certain number of hours to be deducted from your ‘vacation hours bank.’
Depending on whether you’re part-time or full-time, you will likely put in different hours, such as only 4 hours for part-time workers.
You’ll then get paid for the vacation time when you fill out the timesheet in regards to vacation pay and have it signed by a manager for bookkeeping.
Keep in mind that when your vacation time is approved, you will be expected to work the number of hours you have requested off.
For example, if you are full-time and request one vacation day, you can be expected to work that many extra hours to pay for the vacation time.
Does Home Depot Pay Out Unused Vacation Time?
Some states require Home Depot to pay out unused vacation time at the end of an employee’s career, however, others will not enforce this rule.
So unless you live in a state where it is mandated by law, you will lose your accrued vacation time and not be paid when your contract is terminated.
States which require employers to include unused vacation time in an employee’s final paycheck include:
- California
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- North Dakota (with limits)
Note that some states will refer to your contract and company policies regarding paying out unused vacation time whereas others do not have state laws.
What Happens To Unused Vacation Days At Home Depot?
Depending on your local state laws, you may not be able to carry over your unused vacation days from one year to another.
Some states will not enforce carrying your vacation time past your work anniversary, but states like California will allow you to carry this over.
Additional states that will allow you to carry over paid vacation days include Montana and Nebraska.
Home Depot may allow employees to have their unused vacation time rolled over in emergency situations regarding country-wide issues.
However, in most cases, Home Depot’s policy recommends employees use it before it disappears by their next work anniversary.
Can Home Depot Force Me To Use My Vacation Time?
While it will depend on your contract at Home Depot, it is entirely legal for your employer to force you to use your accumulated vacation time for absences.
This may also depend on state laws, as states such as California make it legal for your employer to control when vacation time can be taken and how much can be taken at once.
Additionally, your employer may also decide not to approve your vacation time if it occurs during a busy period of work, such as large sales and Black Friday.
Keep in mind that your employer is legally allowed to do this, and so to avoid this possibility, you should book your vacation hours for another time.
If you are a Home Depot employee, you might also be interested in reading up on Home Depot break policy, Home Depot call out policy, and the Home Depot quitting policy.
Conclusion
Home Depot’s vacation policy is that employees will accumulate vacation time over the course of their employment, rather than having a set amount of days available to request off.
Vacation time must be approved by the store manager and then submitted to bookkeeping before it can be used officially.
Depending on the state you live and work in, your vacation time may or may not be eligible to be rolled over to the next year. We recommend you look up your personal state law in regards to this matter.
