Company switched to PTO and took away amount of vacation time that was given at hire.

I can't respond to the specifics (different states have different requirements), but policies change at companies over time for various reasons. If your husband is a relatively new hire, HR should have known about the pending change and his contract should have reflected language to address this possibility. He can certainly ask about his lost days. It is his right. However, from a management perspective (or corporate leader) when someone comes to complain that they are losing a few days, I am concerned they aren't really on board. Is this an employee who strategically times his vacations to use every possible moment and then wants/needs additional time in case he gets a cold? I have some people like that and I categorize them as 'staff' not leaders. In Detroit, the auto industry got slammed when people started retiring with years (yes, I mean years) of accrued vacation time left. They clocked out on their last day and received paychecks for the next year or more. That needed to change and everyone eventually lost the ability to roll forward unlimited vacation even if they had seniority. Everyone cried foul, but the companies had to change their policies to be able to stay in business and match what other industries were doing.

I have a limited amount of vacation/PTO time at my company, however my efforts are rewarded with occasional flexibility. This is flexibility that cannot be abused, but no one takes me to task when I need to extend my lunch and still leave on time one day. Communication and accomplishment drive the rewards I get where I am at.

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