This reminds me of something I often forget: if I want something out of the ordinary, it's very unlikely anyone will give it to me unless I ask.

And if you're good enough at your job, it's unlikely that you will be denied your request.

A couple of years ago I wanted to go on a holiday for a month in a busy time. I notified my employer about half a year in advance and we planned around it. In the end, the planning didn't work out, I moved my holiday a couple of weeks and my employer paid my airline ticket in return.

My mother always said: You don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Or not. But it's usually better to ask anyway.

I'm not sure where you live or what your interests are, but this is the way contracting at Microsoft works. Every year contractors have to take a ~100 day break. Some contractors take that time off to relax / do hobby things, others take short term temp contracts or other part time work to fill the gaps.

That's interesting. Could you be more specific about the numbers?

Are these workdays? This would be the equivalent of 5 months. Or are they calendar days, which make it a little more than 3 months?

Do they have to take the break after 12 months of work? Or do they take it every year, making them work 9 months per year (assuming you count the break in calendar days)?

Another question. It sounds like Microsoft contractors have to take a break if they like it or not, so the point is probably not to keep them motivated. What advantage does Microsoft get from this?

This is a policy that is a direct result of the M$ "Permatemp" lawsuit. By labor law standards, a Contractor becomes an employee past this time-frame thus eligible for the same benefits as an employee.

Having the Contractor leave and come back is the loophole/workaround for this.

http://www.itworld.com/IW010108calist

I remember they got sued for essentially using temps for full time positions but never giving them the benefits of a full time position. This is probably their way of legally demonstrating that the temps really are temps.

If you're good at what you do, all you need to do is ask. It'll happen.

I stumbled into this idea 10 years ago, and haven't looked back:

http://www.expatsoftware.com/articles/2007/02/two-weeks-vaca...