I'm leaving a Fortune 500 company this month, and according to HR and the company handbook I would have “forfeited” all unused paid vacation upon termination because company policy is that it's “a gift, not wages”…even though it's explicitly part of the compensation package of all salaried positions.
For me this would amount to almost $2500 USD in wages, as I have rarely taken off time in the 5 years I've worked for them.
HOWEVER, their policy has an exception for my state, because I happen to live in one of just 7 U.S. states that legally prohibits such practices. So now I just got an update from HR, those mofos are writing me a check