Understanding Your PG&E Time Off and Leave Benefits: What Every Employee Should Know

A couple of the most overlooked parts of your PG&E benefits package are both the time off and leave policies. A lot of people think about their pension, 401(k), or medical coverage first, and that totally makes sense. Your ability to step away from work though, whether for rest, family, or personal challenges, is arguably just as important to your overall financial and personal well-being.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how vacation, holidays, and leaves of absence work, along with how union and management PG&E benefits differ.

Paid Vacation and PTO: How It Works

If you’re a union-represented employee, you earn vacation starting your first day, but you can’t actually take it until you’ve achieved regular status (usually after probation). Vacation accrues “as you go,” based on the straight time hours you work. You start with up to 80 hours per year and your accrual grows with your years of service:

• 1–4 years: 10 days
• 5–14 years: 15 days
• 15–20 years: 20 days
• 21–28 years: 25 days
• 29+ years: 30 days

25 Time Off and Leaves Union

If you’re in management, administrative, or technical roles, you also start accruing vacation immediately, and your scale is a bit different. You begin with 10 days per year and reach a maximum of 30 days once you’ve been with the company for nearly three decades.

One unique perk is that both groups get extra service anniversary days. Union employees earn five extra days at their 5-year mark and every five years after. Management employees get the same, but starting at year 25.

We like to think of this as a small “thank you” for staying loyal.

Paid Holidays and Floating Days

Everyone, union or management, gets 10 fixed paid holidays plus 3 floating holidays each year.

That includes the typical big ones like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Memorial Day, along with the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The floating holidays allow for a little more flexibility. These days can be scheduled at your discretion (with manager approval), giving you a chance to create a long weekend or cover special personal occasions that aren’t otherwise public holidays.

Other Paid Time Off: Life Happens

Life doesn’t always fit neatly into vacation days, so PG&E provides a handful of other types of time off, including:

• Jury duty
• Funerals
• Adoption leave
• Voting
• Time off under California’s Family School Partnership Act (FSPA)
• Leave protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other crimes

If you’re called to serve your community, such as with the Civil Air Patrol or as a volunteer firefighter, there are specific leaves to support that too.

Leaves of Absence: When You Need More Time

Sometimes you need more than a few days or weeks away from work. That’s where leaves of absence come in.

Federal and State Laws

PG&E employees are covered by several key laws:

• FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act): Up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for your own serious health condition, caring for a family member, or bonding with a new child.
• CFRA (California Family Rights Act): Similar to FMLA, but also covers registered domestic partners and their children.
• PDL (Pregnancy Disability Leave): Up to 4 months of leave if you’re unable to work due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.
• USERRA (military leave): Protects your job if you serve in the uniformed services

To qualify for FMLA or CFRA, you’ll need at least 12 months of service and 1,250 hours worked in the prior year.

Paid vs. Unpaid

Most of these leaves are unpaid by default, but you can often use your sick time, vacation, floating holidays, or PTO to maintain income during your absence. In some cases (like organ or bone marrow donation), PG&E provides a separate bank of paid leave days, like 30 days for organ donors and 5 days for bone marrow donors.

Job Protection

A leave of absence protects your position, but only to the extent the job still exists when you return. If your role is eliminated, you’ll be treated as if you were at work during the layoff process—so just something to be aware of!

Union vs. Management: Key Differences

• Vacation accruals: Union employees get their big bump in vacation at 5 years, while management employees don’t see their first jump until year 4.
• Service anniversary days: Union starts at 5 years; management at 25.
• Eligibility for holidays: Union employees must complete 6 months and reach regular status before getting paid holidays, while management employees are eligible after just 1 day
• Medical leaves: Both groups have access to FMLA/CFRA and company medical leave, but the rules for using sick time and PTO vary slightly depending on your role and whether you’re in a PG&E Corporation entity

Why This Matters for Your Retirement Planning

You can use your time off for more than rest, like being strategic with the financial side of things.

• Unused vacation: In some cases, unused days are carried forward or paid out when you leave the company. That payout can be substantial if you’ve accrued weeks of vacation at a higher salary.
• Leaves of absence: If you’re out for medical reasons, your income might drop temporarily. That affects your cash flow, retirement contributions, and even your pension calculation if the leave is unpaid.
• Strategic use: Knowing when and how to use floating holidays, service anniversary days, or paid donor leave can help you maximize your work-life balance without sacrificing income.

The Bottom Line

Whether it’s bonding with a new baby, taking care of a parent, or even serving your country, PG&E provides policies to support you.

The catch is the rules are detailed, and they differ between union and management, so it’s smart to sit down with an advisor who knows the ins and outs of PG&E’s benefits. The right guidance can help you avoid surprises, protect your paycheck, and keep your retirement plan on track.

👉 If you’re a PG&E employee and want to understand how your time off and leave benefits fit into your bigger retirement picture, let’s have a chat. Book a Free Assessment today, and we’ll make sure you’re maximizing every part of your PG&E benefits package.