Paid Time Off Done the Right Way

Employers often advertise their “generous time off” benefits without ever spelling out what “generous” actually means… or even defining what “time off” actually means. Two weeks is not generous. That’s barely enough time to take care of doctor appointments and life events, let alone take a vacation. Three weeks is pretty decent. We start at four weeks and two days, which we think is a generous starting point for paid time off. And we like to keep the time off part simple: when you’re off work, you aren’t answering emails or checking in; you’re doing anything else you want to do besides working here. We like to think of our time off policy as being more than a “generous benefit.” We’ve designed it to be inclusive.

Inclusive Time Off

What does inclusive paid time off mean? Inclusive time off means, above all else, a generous time off policy. We want to make sure that each employee has enough time off that they can feel like their personal needs are met: they can balance their work-life schedules; they can meet their health and personal care needs; they can call off when they don’t feel well and not risk losing their long-awaited trip to Aruba. But being inclusive also means recognizing the different ways each of us chooses to spend their time. When it comes to the holiday season, time off can become a contentious subject. Here at Two Barrels, we’ve found a way to keep everyone happy.

Your Time Off

We believe that your paid-time-off should fit your personal needs. We provide ample time off with few restrictions. While other companies might have separate columns for sick leave, vacation time, personal days, and miscellany, we have one category: paid time off. When you’re off work, you’re off work. It should be that simple. Our belief is that how you use your time is your business. You can use your time off to travel to Aruba, take care of a sick friend, or binge watch a series. It’s your PTO, free and clear to use as you see fit.

Illnesses and injuries happen. You shouldn’t have to choose between your financial well-being and your health. Employees can, of course, take FMLA leave and we offer short and long-term disability insurance to everyone in the company.

Inclusive Flexible Schedules

At Two Barrels, we’re also all about flexible schedules. Maybe you have kids. Your partner works an odd shift. You’re more of a night owl. You like to go for long walks on your lunch break. You have a dog who likes to go on long walks during your lunch break. You have religious obligations at certain times of the day.

For most of us, life does not stop between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Your great aunt’s illness does not clock out. Your dog’s bladder will continue to fill up. Kids will need to be picked up and dropped off. And that one hour when the sun breaks through the winter clouds is begging you to come outside and take a walk? You should take that hour and enjoy it.

One day you might clock in at 7 a.m. so you can take a long mid-day break. The next day you might sleep in and start work at 10 a.m. You might have a day when you need to take a couple breaks to deal with family or personal stuff. We have a few core hours where we are required to be logged in, while the rest of your schedule is up to you to work out with your manager. At Two Barrels, it is possible to tailor your hours to suit your life.

What About Holidays?

Holidays mean different things to different people. As a company we recognize our team is diverse in their beliefs, background, and holiday observances. In our company, we have team members who observe Yom Kippur, Diwali, Easter, Eid, and Boxing Day. Some of our colleague’s schedules might vary during holy months. Some of us like to have a cookout on Juneteenth and some of us gather around the grill on Memorial or Labor Day, which is why we don’t have traditionally-set company holidays. We have team members who don’t observe any holidays. Whatever your beliefs or cultural background, the time you need will be respected at Two Barrels.

Plus, with our generous time off benefits, you don’t have to choose between a summer vacation and plans for the holidays. You’ll have the time available to do both and still have a PTO buffer for a few sick days.

Giving Employees What They Want

However, that being said, our People Operations Department regularly asks our team members for their feedback on our policies and workplace culture, and in 2022 our team overwhelmingly asked for some official company holidays. In response, we announced four paid holidays where everyone in the company would have the day off and still receive full compensation: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When the announcement was made during the annual company meeting, there were audible shouts of joy. The overwhelming majority of staff wanted to see this benefit, so we included it in our annual planning. The holidays, it should be noted, are in addition to our paid time off. In other words, we added holidays to our benefits package without compromising our commitment to inclusive time-off practices.

We know that time off is a topic we will revisit. How people use their time changes with the development of technology (or during a global pandemic). As a company that cares about its team members well-being, our goal is to make sure everyone’s time is well-spent.