Why Bolt CEO Ended Unlimited PTO and What It Means for High-Performance Teams


Why Bolt CEO Ended Unlimited PTO and What It Means for High-Performance Teams




Unlimited PTO may sound progressive—but in practice, it’s broken. That’s the firm stance taken by Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow, who recently scrapped the company’s unlimited vacation policy in favor of a more structured system.

In a candid post on LinkedIn, Breslow explained why Bolt, a San Francisco-based checkout technology firm, is switching to a fixed PTO policy that grants all employees four paid weeks off per year—with opportunities to accrue more over time.

Why Bolt Ditched Unlimited PTO

“When time off is undefined, the good ones don’t take PTO. The bad ones take too much,” Breslow wrote.

This imbalance, he argues, creates burnout among top performers, inequity across teams, and ultimately, confusion. By clearly defining PTO, Bolt hopes to eliminate uncertainty and ensure everyone receives meaningful, restorative time away from work.

The New PTO Policy: Clarity Over Ambiguity

Under the new system, every employee—known internally as a "Bolter"—gets:

  • 4 weeks of mandatory paid vacation
  • The ability to earn more time off with longer tenure
  • A company-wide expectation that time off is non-negotiable, not just "encouraged"

Breslow noted:

"We mandate everyone take all 4 weeks off. No more confusion. Just clarity and fairness."

Unlimited PTO: The Illusion of Freedom?

While unlimited PTO has become a popular perk in the tech world, it’s increasingly being criticized as counterproductive. Research shows that employees with unlimited PTO often take fewer days off than those with traditional policies.

  • A Namely report (2022) showed unlimited PTO users took an average of 12.09 days off, only slightly more than the 11.36 days taken by those with limited plans.
  • A Joblist study found that employees with unlimited PTO actually took just 10 days off, less than the national average.

The problem? Lack of structure leaves many unsure of what's “acceptable”—which leads to overworking rather than more freedom.

Bolt’s Goal: Protected Time Off for Peak Performance

A company spokesperson emphasized that this change is about protecting Bolt’s best people, not limiting them:

“We believe a team executing at the pace and scale we do deserves real, protected time off—not vague promises.”

By replacing ambiguity with structure, Bolt aims to prioritize well-being while continuing to build fast, scale hard, and deliver at the highest level.

As Breslow put it:

“Execution requires clarity. That applies to PTO, too.”

Final Takeaway

Bolt’s move is a reminder that boundaries create balance, especially in high-performance work cultures. Unlimited PTO may look great on paper, but without structure, even well-intentioned policies can backfire.

For companies committed to both performance and people, clarity is the real perk.

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