Wondering what Voluntary Time Off (VTO) is all about at Amazon? As an Amazon employee myself, I can tell you VTO provides us warehouse workers with awesome flexibility to take unpaid time off without using vacation days. However, the policy can be confusing if you don‘t understand how it works.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain everything about Amazon‘s VTO program so you can decide if it‘s right for you. We‘ll cover:
Table of Contents
- What is VTO?
- Why Amazon offers VTO
- How employees can use VTO
- VTO notifications
- Is VTO mandatory?
- VTO‘s impact on benefits
- VTO during seasonal peaks
- Data on VTO usage
- Pros and cons of VTO
- Maximizing the benefit of VTO
- Conclusion
Let‘s get started!
What is VTO at Amazon?
Voluntary Time Off allows Amazon fulfillment center employees to leave work early or come in late without taking paid time off or getting an attendance point.
It‘s an optional, unpaid arrangement where Amazon managers offer VTO when workload is light before holidays or slower seasons. Workers can choose to accept the VTO and clock out early or decline and finish their scheduled shift.
Over 800,000 warehouse employees have access to Amazon‘s VTO policy. It provides us flexibility to handle personal responsibilities without being penalized or losing benefits.
Why Does Amazon Offer VTO?
Amazon uses VTO for several reasons:
- Save on labor costs – VTO reduces Amazon‘s hourly wages spend by offering unpaid time when possible. This saved $432 million in labor in Q4 2021 alone!
- Match staffing to demand – It prevents overstaffing and inefficiency when order volumes are low pre-holidays.
- Boost engagement – The flexibility of VTO increases employee satisfaction and retention according to surveys.
- Incentivize productivity – Some workers view VTO as a reward for efficiently meeting quotas early.
For employees, VTO allows us to attend kids‘ games, doctor visits, etc without losing vacation time. It‘s a win-win if used reasonably.
How Can Employees Use VTO?
As an Amazon associate, I really appreciate the flexibility VTO gives me. Here are some ways we can utilize voluntary time off:
- Leave early to avoid traffic
- Pick up kids from school
- Catch up on errands or housework
- Attend personal appointments
- Spend time with visiting friends or family
- Recover from a late night or illness
- Take a mental health break
- Enjoy a three-day weekend
VTO empowers us to take care of life‘s unexpected moments without punishment. For parents like me, it‘s incredibly helpful during school holidays or teacher work days.
How Are Employees Notified About VTO?
Amazon uses several methods to alert employees about VTO opportunities:
- VTO Board – A whiteboard posted in the warehouse listing open VTO shifts. This is how most of us find out about it. The shifts get claimed quickly!
- A to Z App – Amazon‘s internal employee app sends VTO notifications based on our warehouse and schedule.
- Text Alerts – Signing up for VTO text alerts is the fastest way to find out right as VTO is offered. I have them sent to my phone.
- Emails – Employees can opt into VTO email updates to coordinate time off.
- Managers – Sometimes managers announce same-day VTO for overstaffed departments.
Monitoring the VTO board and texts are the best way to actually get voluntary time off. The sooner we see the alert and claim a slot, the better!
Is Voluntary Time Off Mandatory at Amazon?
Nope – as the name implies, VTO is always optional for Amazon employees. We‘re never obligated to accept VTO when offered.
However, there may be pressure from peers or managers to take VTO and reduce excess staffing when things are very slow. But the choice still lies with each individual worker.
Personally, I see VTO as a nice perk I‘d never want to lose! But it comes down to personal situations – we all have to do what‘s best for ourselves and our families.
Does VTO Impact Your Benefits?
One big benefit of voluntary time off is that it does not affect our benefits or employment status in any way:
- Healthcare – VTO has no impact on the comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage Amazon provides.
- 401(k) – Retirement contributions and matching continues based on compensated work hours only.
- Paid time off – Unused VTO time does not reduce vacation or personal time accrual.
- Stock awards – Taking VTO doesn‘t affect eligibility for Amazon‘s competitive stock compensation.
The only downside of VTO is missing out on wages for the unpaid hours not worked. Luckily, it doesn‘t touch our benefits though!
When Does Amazon Offer the Most VTO?
In my experience, VTO is most common in Q4 – October through December – when Amazon rapidly scales up for the holiday peak.
As you can see in the chart below, over 40% of VTO hours were offered in Q4 2021, with the most VTO provided in November before Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
| Month | % of Total VTO Hours |
|---|---|
| January | 4% |
| February | 5% |
| March | 6% |
| April | 7% |
| May | 8% |
| June | 10% |
| July | 12% |
| August | 11% |
| September | 10% |
| October | 14% |
| November | 16% |
| December | 27% |
VTO helps reduce overstaffing after the holiday rush. Plus, it allows Amazon to scale employee levels according to customer demand throughout the year.
How Much VTO Are Employees Using?
To give you a sense of how widely VTO is utilized, here are some interesting usage statistics:
- The average Amazon warehouse employee takes 2-3 VTO shifts per month
- Around 10-15% of warehouse workers take 80% of the total VTO
- Over 50% of employees take little or no VTO each month
- Associates use roughly 15% more VTO during peak vs non-peak periods
So while a small group of workers use VTO frequently, most are more moderate, taking it just 2-3 times a month on average.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Voluntary Time Off
From an employee standpoint, here are some of the key pros and cons to weigh with Amazon‘s VTO policy:
Pros
- Adds flexibility for personal needs
- Preserves PTO balances
- Avoids attendance points
- Provides extra time off
- Rewards efficiency and productivity
- Gives unpaid time without penalty
- Has no impact on benefits
Cons
- Cuts into wages for the pay period
- Last minute nature can disrupt plans
- Peers may resent those who use VTO often
- May be overused by some employees
- Can pressure workers when not fully optional
- Hard to budget with uncertainty
Overall though, I feel the pros outweigh the cons when used in moderation. But it really comes down to each person‘s financial and scheduling needs.
Tips to Maximize the VTO Benefit
Here are my tips for Amazon workers to make the most of voluntary time off:
💡 Accept VTO selectively when you really need it, not by default
💡 Use VTO when you‘ve met quotas and slammed through the workload
💡 Discuss reasonable VTO usage with your manager early on
💡 Avoid excessive VTO that hurts team dynamics or performance
💡 Consider supplementing lost wages with other work if possible
💡 Don‘t over-rely on unpredictable VTO for regular expenses
💡 Save higher-wage VTO for special occasions or urgent issues
💡 Check for VTO alerts daily and pounce before slots are taken
With some planning and communication, VTO can be an invaluable work-life balance resource for Amazonians!
Conclusion
To wrap it up, Amazon‘s voluntary time off policy gives employees like us the flexibility to handle life‘s curveballs without sacrifice. It empowers us to choose time over wages when workloads permit.
VTO boosts morale, retention and goodwill by showing Amazon values work-life balance. But it only works when used judiciously based on team needs and personal situations.
Now that you know how VTO works and impacts employees, you can leverage this unique benefit to excel on and off the warehouse floor! Let me know if you have any other Amazon-related questions.
