from work in lieu of not having enough vacation days? Or is that pretty much only in the case of, I dunno, a nervous breakdown or something?

I took a leave of absence...

If you were a professor, you could take a sabbatical, and have a paid year off to relaxe.

I'm guessing you're not a professor though.

Otherwise I think it's possible, but not viewed too highly.

A few years ago, under old ownership of this company, I was a mental wreck and definitely could have used a few months off, but im somewhat sane right now....

but also considering I have been working full time hours for almost 18 years straight, with no more then 5 weeks in between any particular job, I think i am due for some sort of sabbatical.

I coordinate all the leaves for a company of about 9,000 employees. People do take personal leaves but it's usually for school or some big life event, not just for an extra long vacation.

Most companies will allow for personal leaves for any reason but it would have to be signed off on by your manager, etc.

If you're a good employee they might want to give you the leave instead of risking losing you. However, if having you gone is going to cause an undue burden on other employees they might deny you.

Check your Employee Handbook for information regarding personal leave. Depending on the length of time you plan on being gone, they may place a limit as to how much time you can take.

i took a permanent one of those a few times

we are pretty strict with personal leaves. if you get one, its unpaid, and you have no job protection.

i took a three week unpaid leave in 2003 to go to england. when i approached my boss about it, he said, "when the hell else would you be able to leave the country? might as well do it now." my entire department was pissed at me, but what the hell. never hurts to ask.

1 year 6 months until my 8 week paid sabbatical

so close, Rodney... mine will be effective in June, 2007, so just a little less time than yours. I only get a month long sabbatical, but I'll have 4 weeks vacation then too, so it pretty much amounts to two months.

Thinking of taking one ...

I'm looking, btw, for 7 business days. Not like, weeks. So's I can go to India.

Anyhow, thanks for sharing all of your individual experiences/etc. I'm just about to start pleading my case...

won't they just let you take an unpaid vacation? All the places I have ever worked for would not have problem letting you go for a week or so if they didn't have to pay you while you were gone.

Yeah, that's probably going to be my default. I'd really rather not blow all of my paid days, though I can appreciate the dilemna a manager faces...