The American vs. Europe view on vacations and time off is flabbergasting

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Trojita

Trojita

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I've known about the differences between our two cultures. Getting 15 days off of a year of leave is seen as the average or worse something to look up to getting, while europe the average is generally 30+ days off. Most European countries have leave for new mothers and some countries even leave for the fathers to use. You are encouraged to take your leave.

I was just talking with some of my coworkers and managers and they were bragging about how much time they had saved up. Not planning on using it but hoping the company pays out when they leave or retire. A lot of companies started capping the hours now. It wasn't unheard of for employees to have 400+ hours saved up. They tell you at work not to come in if you are sick, but be sure most of the time work will be mad you called off sick.

Then you have people that brag that they haven't taken a day off of work for 20 years or so (This is coming from a teacher so maybe it is understandable cause they have summer off for lengthy vacation), but I know you must have had to have come in sick, getting other people sick in the process.
 
Trojita said:
I've known about the differences between our two cultures. Getting 15 days off of a year of leave is seen as the average or worse something to look up to getting, while europe the average is generally 30+ days off. Most European countries have leave for new mothers and some countries even leave for the fathers to use. You are encouraged to take your leave.

I was just talking with some of my coworkers and managers and they were bragging about how much time they had saved up. Not planning on using it but hoping the company pays out when they leave or retire. A lot of companies started capping the hours now. It wasn't unheard of for employees to have 400+ hours saved up. They tell you at work not to come in if you are sick, but be sure most of the time work will be mad you called off sick.

Then you have people that brag that they haven't taken a day off of work for 20 years or so (This is coming from a teacher so maybe it is understandable cause they have summer off for lengthy vacation), but I know you must have had to have come in sick, getting other people sick in the process.
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A lot of Americans can't even afford decent vacations, so why take them.

Plus if you're an hourly worker, forget about it.

It's definitely a cultural thing, though. Although are we still as bad as Japan, though?
 
Yeah it's good. I preferred my last job where you had 'annual leave' set for you.

My current job is annoying though, as they follow a 'use it or lose it' policy(which I think should be illegal) and they also won't pay both if you decide to work your holidays.

entrement said:
A lot of Americans can't even afford decent vacations, so why take them.
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Just chill at home and your local area...
 
It is always funny/sad to hear the american perspective.

I have grown up with it so I thought a family having a long vacation with their kids in the summer was something normal. I guess its just europe/scandinavia.

Also, no paid maternity leave?? Get your shit together murrica.

entrement said:
Although are we still as bad as Japan, though?
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WE ARENT AS BAD AS THE WORST YOU GUYS!!!
 
If we got more time off than europeans we'd be called lazy. Now we just live to work.

I get one week off a year not including about another week worth of holidays. I work for a small company, it's pretty cut throat. It has it's benefits though.
 
I dont think the this summer vacation thing is right, but its certainly better than the american way.
Everything becomes a daily grind, the days meld together, pretty soon the weeks are distinguishable from each other. And the only thing people remember are the measly 2 weeks of their vacation. That aint right.
 
I currently get three weeks vacation, one week personal, and two weeks sick time (Canada).


gutshot said:
They do, although at most places it is not paid leave.
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That's messed up... In Canada you can take up to a year off. Generally you'd get 55% of your pay during that time, but companies can top it off while you're gone. Currently my wife is receiving 90% of her pay because the hospital she works for is topping her pay. When I take 3 months off for maternity leave, I'll be receiving 85% in total.
 
Yeah. It sucks. Without having data to back up my guess I'd also say that more employees (even middle to upper middle class) work multiple jobs as well.

I've probably worked 60-70 hours a week for the last 8 years, for example, which gets old pretty quickly.

This shows vacation time in various countries, and as you point out the US is way behind. We also tend to have a few less national holidays.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922052.html
 
I think for the American side, it is not so much a cultural thing that we willingly accept, but rather, a forced practice by businesses who see excessive vacation time/maternity leave/etc, as detrimental to their bottom line.
 
30 days for me. One week in summer, two weeks in december, one in march

which is the bare minimum to keep a decent mental state, as Yagharek said

I was shocked to find out that most of the things Dilbert satirizes about are indeed true, as one of my American friends told me
 
25 for me. I never take them though. I've taken 3 weeks off this year and still have another 3 weeks owing to me from days which have rolled over.
 
I get 3 weeks plus stats unlimited sick days/personal days. As well when I work OT I have the option to bank the extra time if I like. (Canada)

I almost never take any time off and just sell back my vacation time

The trick is to have a job you don`t hate. As well with all the extra money I make I`m on track for being able to retire very comfortably at 50
 
Also many European businesses close for lunch :)

There are so many advantages to living in the US, but I dislike our view of labor. Some people are proud of working two or three jobs...
 
Erasus said:
It is always funny/sad to hear the american perspective.

I have grown up with it so I thought a family having a long vacation with their kids in the summer was something normal. I guess its just europe/scandinavia.

Also, no paid maternity leave?? Get your shit together murrica.



WE ARENT AS BAD AS THE WORST YOU GUYS!!!
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Would I like more vacation time? Sure. But it's not a human right tragedy that I get 15 days off a year.

I just never get outrage over stuff like vacation time. Definitely a 1st world problem if I heard of one. If you hate your job, quit and find a better one.
 
I work in telecom, i get 216 hours this year. That's over 5 weeks. Not sure how anyone can take off so much time. I always roll mine over.
 
I'm actually not sure how much I get. I took 2 weeks in January and I know I have a bunch saved up I need to use in the next week or two before I get more. So I 3 or 4 weeks with more on the way. I'll have to take a week or two off soon.
 
I get 14 days a year in the US. I can carry over those 14 to next year if I don't use them and get a total of 28.

But I can only carry a max of 14 over from year to year, otherwise I get paid for what I don't use.

This also includes if I need to call in sick :(
 
nubbe said:
Unions
Europe has them and workers benefit
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Our unions were crushed by Thatcher. The balance of power did need (major)adjustment to level it out with employers.Instead we went whole hog into employers holding most of the power.

The only rights we have that are pro worker are pretty much because of europe. If we go out of the EU watch that shit disappear.

We are an outlier when it comes to that though, we too have a hard on for the myth of the 'protestant work ethic' like America.
 
Sorry to inform you that this year there's just no money left in the budget for raises, but we do appreciate all your hard work! Also, next week we'll need you to interview some prospective unpaid interns to fill in for that guy we let go because he was out sick too much.
 
entrement said:
It's definitely a cultural thing, though. Although are we still as bad as Japan, though?
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Japan does have 3 week long holidays in the year that almost everyone gets though (not that it makes up for other problems in their work culture). Most jobs here give you one day even for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year and then you have to use your own vacation days if you have to travel/etc.
 
Zero paid days :(

I'm taking a week long vacation next month that's gonna cost me half a check on top of the actual cost of the vacation.
 
ochaworldorder said:
Japan does have 3 week long holidays in the year that almost everyone gets though (not that it makes up for other problems in their work culture). Most jobs here give you one day even for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year and then you have to use your own vacation days if you have to travel/etc.
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Are they paid holidays?Or just days off?

My uncle worked for Bank Of New York and it was paid for national holidays, just wondering if that is a legislative or elective thing.
 
Wow. In the UK, the statutory minimum is 28 paid days holiday for a full time worker. I get 33 days which is the most I've ever had in a job before. Couldn't imagine only having 15 days off a year :/
 
Being an American living in the UK my eyes really opened up on how people treat vacation/time off.

I worked in the states for 2 years before moving to London. I remember only getting 15 days and saving that up for one big vacation or two small ones. I remember worrying about taking the time off and sometimes it being denied. Never calling in sick, or working from home when I felt like I was on my death bed.

Then 4 years ago I moved here. My time off doubled and I was encouraged to take it. I travel and relax much much more. If I am sick I work from home, and If i am really ill i just don't work at all. I don't have to worry about taking time off and I don't have to stress about it getting denied.

I can't see myself going back to the american lifestyle of live to work. Its stressful and really not worth it. Maybe I'll just never go back :P
 
Neil said:
Wow. In the UK, the statutory minimum is 28 paid days holiday for a full time worker. I get 33 days which is the most I've ever had in a job before. Couldn't imagine only having 15 days off a year :/
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I can't imagine having that much time off, thats almost equal to working four days a week and calling it full time. Damn, fuck my company.
 
We get 24 days leave, and up to some 6 weeks sick. We also have 14 public/national holidays a year, of which about 10 or so a year land on weekdays.

We are encouraged to take all of our leave allotted in a year but if there's any extra up to 5 days can be redeemed to the equivalent salary and up to 8 days can be moved to the next year.

14 weeks paid maternity leave + 4 weeks unpaid.
 
Spaniard teacher here: I'm just a week shy from finishing my summer holidays. They began on the second week of July and they'll be finished on the second of September.
I know I'll never get rich with my job but who cares, I have plenty of free time to do as I please.
BTW, this is outrageous for most people XD.
 
AlteredBeast said:
I work in telecom, i get 216 hours this year. That's over 5 weeks. Not sure how anyone can take off so much time. I always roll mine over.
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It is easy you don't go into work but instead go on holidays and see the world (I try and go abroad a few times a year to places I've never been before), visit family, follow your hobbies, realax and watch sport, go on trips with your friends. I like my job but I can't even imagine a job so great I would miss out on all that for. I currently get 30+8 holiday and would love more. There is too much to do and see in the world and too little time to be content with so little free time.
 
I get 96 hrs paid , 80hrs not paid.

Seems good to me for such a low level job in the US.

And I take every single one of them.
 
I get 15 vacation days and 11 stat holiday days...
20 vacation days when you put in 10 years.


I'd assume that's average in Canada
 
So far I have taken zero this year. Maybe it will end up killing me but I am I true believer in "If you want to be successful, you have to work half days. You know, 12 hours."
 
I get 5 weeks, unlimited sick days + national holidays. Hard to imagine only having a couple of weeks, i usually use 3 of those 5 weeks to travel, other days for hangover mondays or a friday to extend the weekend.
 
Australia is generally 20 paid days off a year, which i can save up and carry over to the next year if I don't use them. Work then starts to pressure you to use some leave if you have over 300 hrs saved up.

Add in 10 public holidays and once a month I can have paid day off for my work.

Men can get maternity leave now paid as well, paid something like 300 bucks a week for two weeks.
 
bomb said:
So far I have taken zero this year. Maybe it will end up killing me but I am I true believer in "If you want to be successful, you have to work half days. You know, 12 hours."
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Take your vacation. I got 20 days and took none and it got me nowhere.
 
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