‘Quiet vacationing’: taking time off without telling anyone

A new survey trend has a name: ‘quiet vacationing’. It describes employees who take time off without officially notifying their employer, quietly stepping back from work instead of formally requesting paid time off (PTO).

According to a FlexJobs survey of just over 3,000 US workers conducted in August 2025, nearly a quarter, 23%, did not take a single vacation day over the past year, and 78% said they do not use the maximum PTO their employer allows.

Gen Z workers are the most likely to quiet vacation: 66% say they have taken time off this year without telling their employer, a habit almost as common among executives, at 65%.

The reasons vary. Some workers say they are saving up their days for later (33%), others fear looking less dedicated if they take time off (14%), and 29% specifically cited layoff fears as a reason to avoid requesting leave altogether.

Quiet vacationing rarely leads to serious trouble: only 37% of quiet vacationers say their employer even found out. But among those who were caught, the consequences could be real, including being denied a promotion, missing out on a key project, or in rare cases, losing their job entirely.

Adapted from FlexJobs Work and PTO Pressure Report, August 2025