Can employers require employees to take vacation time?

Yes. There is an exception, however. Employers can require employees to use vacation time provided that the employee is not covered under the California Pregnancy Disability provisions. Under PDL, employer cannot require the use of vacation time. Exempt employees may be required to use accrued vacation hours for a period of a week or longer. Furthermore, employers are not permitted to force the use of vacation unless the vacation is “on the books” for one fiscal quarter (3 months).