raithrovers1

What is the average paid vacation time including sick pay etc. for an electrical engineer working in the Oil & Gas industry in Houston?

ian-mstm

That'll depend on how long you've worked there... but generally, 2 weeks per year paid vacation; maybe 3 weeks after you've been there 10 years. Sick pay is generally a week or two also. Most US companies will require a doctor's note if you're absent for more than 2 days in a row.

Ian

Weeze

Oil is a bit more generous from our experience. Generally 2 weeks starting vacation, then 3 after 5 years, 4 after 10 years, 5 after 20 years. They take your industry experience into account when you start a new job. This is for being an employee of an oil company, not in a service company. Don't think they are as generous.

bobbedford

I am getting 4 weeks, plus public holidays plus 5 days "personal time".

However I think thats because the US operation is pretty small compared to the UK operation - and they've basically matched the UK offering.

This is Chicago - financial services.

Bomjeito

Know the company policy maximums then use it to negotiate. Hubby's company is five weeks after 20 years. So he negotiated five weeks based on his specific 20 plus years experience from day one. They said fine. They know we could have stayed in Aberdeen or London, or let someone else in Houston give him that benefit.

I mean, come on, how can they expect expertise from UK accepting junior level benefits?

So much depends on policy, company need for your services, and other indicators. My husband found consultancies easier to bargain with than oil companies themselves....the bigger firms tend to rely on policies and rules to manage their employee mass... Also much depends on your specific experience and if sought out here or hard to find here.

My brother, a junior level electrical engineer, however, started at the bottom after graduation. Five days after one year of work. It went to ten days from year three through eight. Then bumps up to 15 to 15 years, 20 days for 20 yrs service and beyond. Sick leave is separate and at discretion of management as it is a small company. Add 8 or 9 days off for public holidays tool. Here, leave is separated by public holidays, sick leave, and vacation, so be sure you know their policy on all three before negotiating time off benefits, as public holidays and sick leave are normally not negotiable, but can augment your true time off.

raithrovers1

I would like to thank everyone for their comments so far which have been extremely useful.
It is good to know there are people out there willing to help.