Companies that offer unlimited PTO can and do weaponize it against the employee.
It sounds like a great option- until it’s utilized by the employee.
In my first year I didn’t take a single vacation or sick day. There aren’t any differing options when requesting time off. It’s all under the blanket of unlimited PTO.
I eventually used some PTO because of several doctors appointments spread out in a month (unknown health issue at the time that was being diagnosed).
Shortly after I asked to leave a few minutes early to pick up my partner from her job because her car was in the shop.
I was pulled aside and sternly told that I had taken more time off recently than anyone else in my department and the system flagged me.
Asked for an explanation and was again told that I was just flagged by the system.
This upset me- so I walked my manager over to his desk and asked him to look at the hours, because I had never taken any time off other than my doctors appointments.
After he looked into it- turns out that any employee who uses three or more days in any three week period for any reason is flagged.
So much for that ‘perk’.
Also- most people who (like me) work for companies that offer unlimited PTO never use any days for this reason, and ultimately the company benefits rather than guaranteeing PTO days that can be cashed out at the end of the year.
/end rant