No, we don't actually get vacation time so to speak. We simply save up our leave year long and just take off when we want. (which can be quite a lot since they now cap us to have no more than 360 hrs of Annual at the end of each fiscal year. And most of us incorporate it with all the paid holidays we get, which is 13) You can have more saved up during the year, but anything over 360 come June 30th gets flipped over to sick leave. (Which is no longer payed out when you retire as it used to be, so many people make sure to use it before then)
For instance, every 2 weeks I earn 8 hrs of Annual Leave & 4.5 hrs. of Sick. Then just use it as I want. I usually take off anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks in the last few months of each year just to keep it in check. But with everything that's been going on since last November with my Mom's passing, all the funerals, & doctor appointments for both the wife and my dogs, I've eaten into more leave than I have in a very long time. To which I only have about 170 hrs presently.
Speaking of that, unfortunately I just had to take off again today to take my pup Shelby back to the surgeon. I've been having her checked out periodically with my vet here over the past few months, since she is still limping from her ACL surgery that took place back in November. And I knew this should have stopped by now. ... Well, turns out something has definitely gone wrong, and either the surgery just didn't take for whatever reason or she somehow tore it loose? Either way, she is now scheduled to go back through all of it again this coming Friday. Back in a cast for 6 weeks, and leash walked for the 4 months following it. ... I just feel so bad for her, she's such a good pup. She hasn't been able to free run or play since before last November, and looks like we might be in early 2016 before she gets the chance to.