Exempt employee vacation time

[M18ike]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Massachusetts

I am a salaried employee (Plant Manager) who has 3 weeks vacation as of January 1, 2009. My employer deceided to shut down the factory December 28, 2009 until January 4, 2010. He has told me I must use some of my vacation time during the shutdown. I want to use my 3 weeks to take time off from work when we are actually working not shutdown. Please advise!

[pattytx]

Obviously this is not the answer you're going to want to hear, but the employer has the legal right to control when employees take vacation. Now, you can ask the employer is you can take the time off without pay, as long as it would be a full workweek(s), but the employer is not required to agree. This would be true in every state, btw.

[ecmst12]

Your employer can in fact tell you when you are to use your vacation time.

[cbg]

Coming to you straight from MA:

If your employer tells you that you have to use some of your vacation time during the shutdown, then you have to use some of your vacation time during the shutdown.

You can, as Patty suggests, request that the employer allow you to take the time unpaid, but it is 100% up to the employer whether to permit it or not.