Does your company let you take time off work to study?

[Mistadobalina]

So I just recently discovered that--at least in Canada--it's not uncommon for companies to actually give their actuarial employees days off to study. Apparently fifteen days off is pretty standard. This came as a shock to me, as all my study time is expected to be physically taken at my desk (which of course means that I often don't actually get the study time since work-related issues interrupt and take precedence).

So now I'm curious: does your employer allow you to actually take time off work to study? If so, how much time off are you given? Also please mention if you work in the U.S. or Canada as I'm curious if there's a big difference.

[Hero3128]

I can only take one 8-hour study day out of my study hours. The rest have to come from my vacation time

[crabber]

Most companies provide a set number of work hours you can devote to your studies per exam. Rules and where and how those hours are taken varies. Both the companies I worked for allowed off-site studying (as long as you didn't give them any reason to think you weren't actually studying during this time). I would think that most of the companies which require on-site studying would give you somewhere other than your desk to study.

[IKnewIt]

I can use all of my hours as I please, whether that be at home or at work. I work for a US P&C insurer.

[Vorian Atreides]

US P&C insurer . . . we're given a number of company hours that can be used for studying; however, most have to be done "on-site" (somewhere within the corporate facilities).

Of those hours, we can take a full day to study/prepare off-site the day before the sitting.

Those who are approved to attend a seminar have to count those hours falling on a work day against the allotted hours; those who do not attend a seminar can have an additional two days they can use for off-site studying (pending supervisor's approval).

[Bernoulli]

I've never worked anywhere that didn't let the students study off-site. Personally, I think you can get more done at the library (or at home if you can effectively study there) than at your desk.

Also, I don't really care if the students actually study on their days. You have to do your laundry sometime - if you spend a few hours of your study day doing it so you can study all day Saturday instead, what does it matter.

[Emerald]

My company gives more than 15 days for the first attempt at a 4-hour exam. You can study wherever you want - be it at your desk, in a library, at home in your pajamas, in a coffee shop, you get the idea. You also have options on when to take the time, but you're supposed to do approximately a day per week. You can use that as an entire day each week, or a few hours a couple times a week, or use the same amount of time every day, etc.

[Emerald]

US P&C insurer

[Mosaic]

Both companies I worked at provided approximately 15 days per exam. My first company decreased the number of hours if it was not your first attempt.

Both companies strongly discouraged study at your desk. I think they felt that it would be too easy to study while you were supposed to be doing work. I believe that my current company frowns on taking your study time at home, but my boss pretty much just wants me to pass, so whatever study methods works...

[Mistadobalina]

Thanks to those who have provided input so far. Bumping for more replies.