I have been working at this company for 6 years now and they have just said that we are no longer going to get paid vacations. Can they do this when I've been receving paid vacations after the first year? also a fellow employee before this "new rule" went into effect took his vacation and ended up getting sick the day he was to return from vacation and they told him he would not get his pay because he did not come in the day after his vacation ended. no rules where put into effect untill after the first of this year. I thought you were intitled to this pay.

Yes, they can do this. No laws require an employer to offer paid vacation time - that's entirely up to the employer. If they wish to change their policy, they may. I imagine this employer can expect quite a bit of turnover in the months to come as employees quit to go work for other employers who offer a paid vacation benefit however.