No, vacation is typically paid time off, your position is still yours when you return, and your pay progression/seniority/benefits/etc at least pick up where you left off.

Retirement is unpaid (after 12-18 months you would not get a meaningful pension), and since your relationship with the company is over they are free to hire someone else into your position and they have no obligations to you regarding any other work benefit or convention.

Micro-retirement sounds like a fun way to avoid paying vacation and providing job stability, along the same lines as being an “independent contractor” often is.