No-vacation Nation

[Boiler 45,715]

Not all jobs offer such a bad vacation policy. It usually depends on your skill level, and tenure. I work for a local government agency and receive 12 paid holidays, 18 paid vacation, 4 paid personal, 10 paid undocumented sick and unlimited paid sick time with a physicians letter. For every year you are here you are granted additional vacation time. As far as my field goes that is considered low. However, that would pretty much allow me to take a day off almost every week without an issue. It is just a matter of putting in your time and earning the better leave packages. It is not hopeless though.

44 days is more than I ever got in the UK.

[londongal 17]

I'm not complaining, although quite frankly I have the right to if I want to... We all have the right to express our own personal trials and tribulations of moving to the US... That's what this board is for in my opinion. I came on here to enquire about everyone else's thoughts and feelings on the vacation culture in the US and also hoping to gain insight into companies that are more generous/flexible (which has worked as I have now discovered KPMG offer 25 days which matches the UK)

I'm probably going to spend some time browsing Glassdoor and looking into the best companies to work for to find out about their benefits so will update my findings on here soon!

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

"Don't get me started on this. It is a definite pet peeve of mine. Americans are so stressed out and work like crazy. Everyone just

falls in line and works like a slave. ....Why everyone lines up like good little soldiers and does not revolt I do not know either.

America behind the times as with health care."

That's why you and just about everyone else wants to live here - because Americans (most of us, anyway) work our butt off to make the USA the best country on the planet. And defend the Constitutional freedoms that you are enjoying every minute of your life (including on this website). America is not behind the times; it's your thinking that needs a little re-education. If you don't like America, find an airport. I'll buy you a one-way ticket.

You talk about constitutional freedom but get your feathers ruffled when I speak my mind ? Really ?

Last time I checked free speech is part of my right as a USC.

America IS behind the times, behind most countries in regards to vacation time and that is a fact. Period.

Go ahead little worker bee and work your behind off 24/7, as for me my family time and my health is important. Your boss must love you.

People like you that can't stand any criticism about America to make it better and improve on what needs to be improved on hinder the real

progress, you love the status quo and remain stagnant.

As to you buying me a ticket, I am the USC and my husband is the immigrant so get your facts straight before you call me out.

Wanting to kick anyone out of the country who doesn't think like you is actually very un American, being a bully and just plain ignorant.

Stop your turf pissing.

[Umka36 781]

As others have said it depends on the employer/position. I get 27 days paid vacation, 12 sick, and 12 recognized holidays; although I've never been able to take more than 1 week off for vacation at a time.

[TabeaK 517]

As others have said it depends on the employer/position. I get 27 days paid vacation, 12 sick, and 12 recognized holidays; although I've never been able to take more than 1 week off for vacation at a time.

And therein lies the other crux. A lot of people in the US seems to frown upon actually taking vacation time. It is a cultural thing, I believe - different from the rest of the world - or Europe at least.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

And therein lies the other crux. A lot of people in the US seems to frown upon actually taking vacation time. It is a cultural thing, I believe - different from the rest of the world - or Europe at least.

Either they don't want to because they are afraid there is no more time to get off in an emergency or the company forces them

to take it in fragments. Or it's the low pay and they can't afford to take a longer vacation.

For the real dedicated and self appointed indispensable, it's a wonder that some don't donate part of their pay checks back to the company they work for in addition to not taking all their well earned vacation days. You know, company loyalty and all that.

First thing, when someone says something about another person is : He/She is a hard worker (as in they must be such a good person)

instead of he/she is kindhearted, generous, intelligent, creative.....nope it's always a hard worker. I am all for work ethics but puleeaase

I have a life outside of work.

#workethicsonsteroids

[Umka36 781]

Can't complain here. Work for the most part 9-5 schedule, and always see the wife/kids after-work with weekends off. It's probably sad saying this, but taking more than one week vacation with two little ones is actually quite a lot of work.

I also donate my leave to employees who are very sick and don't have enough sick/vacation. I do make sure my employees take vacation, so they don't get burned out. Never lived a "European" lifestyle or work environment, so can't compare.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I'm not complaining, although quite frankly I have the right to if I want to... We all have the right to express our own personal trials and tribulations of moving to the US... That's what this board is for in my opinion. I came on here to enquire about everyone else's thoughts and feelings on the vacation culture in the US and also hoping to gain insight into companies that are more generous/flexible (which has worked as I have now discovered KPMG offer 25 days which matches the UK)

I'm probably going to spend some time browsing Glassdoor and looking into the best companies to work for to find out about their benefits so will update my findings on here soon!

No, you cannot say anything bad about 'Murica, cos 'Murica! 'Muricaaaaa!!!!!!

Edited April 6, 2016 by Harpa Timsah

[NikLR 13,228]

ROFL harpa! Exactly.

Hubs pretty much says it that way too... /snickers.

[mallafri76 1,012]

The thinking is if you can take that much time of then are you really needed? Get weekends off, holidays off, then 30 days on top of that? Thats roughly 1/3 of the year where you arent at work at all. Craziness.

And yet there is plenty of research that show that people who work shorter days and have four weeks vacation a year are actually more efficient at work and get more done.

[mallafri76 1,012]

"Don't get me started on this. It is a definite pet peeve of mine. Americans are so stressed out and work like crazy. Everyone just

falls in line and works like a slave. ....Why everyone lines up like good little soldiers and does not revolt I do not know either.

America behind the times as with health care."

That's why you and just about everyone else wants to live here - because Americans (most of us, anyway) work our butt off to make the USA the best country on the planet. And defend the Constitutional freedoms that you are enjoying every minute of your life (including on this website). America is not behind the times; it's your thinking that needs a little re-education. If you don't like America, find an airport. I'll buy you a one-way ticket.

First off, where do you get the idea that America is the best country on the planet? According to the UN's latest list, the US is the eight "best country to live in".

Secondly, everyone don't want to live in America. Most of us are only here because we happened to fall in love with an American.

Thirdly, I will NEVER understand those people who only see their country with rosy colored glasses. Every single country on the planet has it's good and bad sides. No country is perfect. Thank God most people in America don't think like you or African-Americans would still not be allowed to sit on the bus and women wouldn't be allowed to vote. We move forward as a country and as a society when we have the strength to question things and when we can have a debate and actually dare to listen to other people's opinions.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

First off, where do you get the idea that America is the best country on the planet? According to the UN's latest list, the US is the eight "best country to live in".

Secondly, everyone don't want to live in America. Most of us are only here because we happened to fall in love with an American.

Thirdly, I will NEVER understand those people who only see their country with rosy colored glasses. Every single country on the planet has it's good and bad sides. No country is perfect. Thank God most people in America don't think like you or African-Americans would still not be allowed to sit on the bus and women wouldn't be allowed to vote. We move forward as a country and as a society when we have the strength to question things and when we can have a debate and actually dare to listen to other people's opinions.

God bless America...and no place else

[A--dawg 3]

I am given 3 weeks of vacation and I work in IT.

[Yalda 54]

I am given 3 weeks of vacation and I work in IT.

Nice! Congrats

3 weeks would be great as I have 3 weeks here in Canada

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

Can't complain here. Work for the most part 9-5 schedule, and always see the wife/kids after-work with weekends off. It's probably sad saying this, but taking more than one week vacation with two little ones is actually quite a lot of work.

I also donate my leave to employees who are very sick and don't have enough sick/vacation. I do make sure my employees take vacation, so they don't get burned out. Never lived a "European" lifestyle or work environment, so can't compare.

This is a good comment, in my opinion, and gets at an issue related to the subject title. Specifically, the number of weeks of vacation isn't the only factor in having a good work/life balance. Two years ago I was on the fast track to death/hell/whatever. 10+ hours of work M-F and another 10 hours of work on the weekends. I went from being an occasional weekend drinker to having 3 drinks a night. Exercise, diet, sleep and relationships all went to hell in my sacrifices to the benefit of my employer. My employer has often been deemed one of the best places to work, off and on now for over 100 years. And yet, the job was literally killing me. Stress levels were through the roof. People I worked with knew it was killing me but were powerless to help me because their jobs/lives were in the same straits.

Long story, short, 1.5 years ago I got off that dreadful carousel. Like Umka36, I now have a 40 hour a week job. I don't work evenings. I don't work weekends. I am almost down to the recommended weight for my height. I run 10-12 miles a week. I sleep great. My diet, in no small part due to the arrival of my wife, is great.

I earn only 2 weeks of vacation per year at the new job. I think it goes up to three weeks in 5 or 8 years - I'd have to look it up. But I really don't care. My life is immeasurably better with the new job, even with the limited vacation.

That said, the over-worked culture in America sucks. People really do deserve more vacation and less hours.

One final thing... Umka36 you sound like a good boss to your employees. I commend your employees-first thinking.