As a consultant, we learn that it's important to our company to be billing rather than taking time off. Normally a consulting company rewards employees who stay on contract rather than using up stored vacation time. In the past that is how the company treated it's consultants. But now in some misguided effort to "transition to profitability" the company decided to wipe the slate clean on all employees vacation balances. Some consultants have worked (billed) for several years without taking any vacation. Some consultants were saving up vacation to take an overseas trip, or honeymoon. In return for their service to the company, the company decided to wipe out all saved vacation. It may sound like sour grapes, and perhaps it is, but how often do we hear the phrase "our employees are our greatest asset." Not how you treat a valuable asset. And I cannot see how that would help profitability, since consultants will be more inclined to take vacation ASAP rather than stay on project and bill.
Regardless of what happened to me, the morale at the company turned 180 degrees when this happened. I am fearful that the great people that I currently work with will leave and I could not in good faith recommend that anyone take a new position at the company knowing that the company will change HR rules at any time.
