There are several ways you can make use of this benefit—one of the most popular being to take a vacation. This often involves taking full weeks off at the same time, so you’ll need to request this ahead of time with your manager, who will need to agree on the dates. Sick leave is in place in case of unexpected illness, so can’t be planned for in the same way, unless you need a pre-planned operation, in which case you can inform your manager in advance. Other types of paid time off include parental leave for new parents or to attend a funeral.