The American vs. Europe view on vacations and time off is flabbergasting
- Thread starter Trojita
- Start date
- Status
Liberty4all
Banned
lol I always assumed it worked the same way in all western countries. Its kind of blowing my mind that in the US if you get pregnant you are screwed financially once you give birth until you can return to work.
Marty Chinn
Member
Definitely not a company thing. It's required by the government that our company allow us paid family leave. Now if it's a state by state thing, then that I don't know. I assumed it was standard.
Are you in the US? The government is not mandating that you get paid time off for having a child.
Marty Chinn
Member
Yes, I am in the US. The government pays I believe 60% of my income during that period. My company does not pay that out to me.
So the government is paying you? Not the company you work for, am I reading that right? Which then also means you are probably qualifying for some type of government assistance program that not everyone would be able to qualify for.
IE this is still not normal for the US.
Bulbo Urethral Baggins
Banned
You get some time off but not that much. You don't really need much time anyway. My wife took a couple weeks. It's not like the wounds from childbirth take that long to heal. We handed off the baby to our neighbor in the morning and picked it up after work. And we have day care here. It takes a village and all that..
Marty Chinn
Member
Rice-Eater
Member
I have a blue collar job, I get anywhere from 11-13 days off per year(I work 4 days a week). And getting the extra days off depends on whether my work day falls on Thanksgiving/Xmas eve or not because if they don't then the company doesn't give a shit if you want a extra day off. It fucking sucks and is one of the things I hate most about America compared to what I keep hearing about our European counterparts.
It seems like you get good vacation if you have a white collar job. But then everybody gets mad at you and risk getting fired for using it. WIth blue collar jobs you hardly get any vacation and it takes forever(normally over 5+ years) to accumulate at least 3+ years off. I know some of you guys have it real good, but for most of us it really sucks.
It seems like you get good vacation if you have a white collar job. But then everybody gets mad at you and risk getting fired for using it. WIth blue collar jobs you hardly get any vacation and it takes forever(normally over 5+ years) to accumulate at least 3+ years off. I know some of you guys have it real good, but for most of us it really sucks.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
I think some companies over there are trying to improve their policies because of their birth rate issues.
Devolution
Member
Time you're able to get off depends on how cool your employer is and how strong the union is backing the employees.
As far as parental issues, the US is pretty shit about supporting families even though we depend on it.
As far as parental issues, the US is pretty shit about supporting families even though we depend on it.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Most casino companies I have worked for will grant you one week of PTO (Paid Time Off) for the first year or two of employment, two weeks for years 2-5, and possible three weeks for 5+ years of employment.
Paid Time Off is both sick and vacation time. If you call out sick a lot, you are costing yourself your own vacation time. You max out at what you can earn in a year so you should use it up each year.
Many casinos also (particularly for front-line employees) implement a points or demerit system, wherein a tardy can be a 1/2 point event, or a call-in can be a single-point event, which deducts from abalance you keep and which refills, usually annually. With rotating shifts, tardies or callouts really screw things up for the people in casino cashier's cages, etc. Unfortunately people need to be encouraged to plan their time off so their managers can cover these gaps rather than making impromptu plans and calling out sick.
I see no benefit is hoarding vacation time, or in working sick. But I have also in the past had managers or been in environments where my free, unrepentant use of these benefits did seem to be a political liability.
Paid Time Off is both sick and vacation time. If you call out sick a lot, you are costing yourself your own vacation time. You max out at what you can earn in a year so you should use it up each year.
Many casinos also (particularly for front-line employees) implement a points or demerit system, wherein a tardy can be a 1/2 point event, or a call-in can be a single-point event, which deducts from abalance you keep and which refills, usually annually. With rotating shifts, tardies or callouts really screw things up for the people in casino cashier's cages, etc. Unfortunately people need to be encouraged to plan their time off so their managers can cover these gaps rather than making impromptu plans and calling out sick.
I see no benefit is hoarding vacation time, or in working sick. But I have also in the past had managers or been in environments where my free, unrepentant use of these benefits did seem to be a political liability.
The point of maternity (and paternity) leave has little to do with the mother's recovery. It's important because the child needs to be with its parents and its the parents responsibility to cater to that need. I get the feeling me and you wouldn't see eye to eye on how the whole child rearing thing should work.
The US has no statutory minimum for paid leave or maternity leave. Yea, it's fucked up.
They haven't got time to fuck.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Yeah I did forget to mention that as part of the casino industry you work weekends and all the major holidays. Major holidays get designated as "blackout times" on our schedules and you can't request time off during those times.
I suppose each industry has its sacrifices. For casinos, it is holidays.
I suppose each industry has its sacrifices. For casinos, it is holidays.
captmorgan
Banned
It blows my mind that people don't plan and save for pregnancy`s.
mercenar1e
Member
Paid sick leave in NYC and the United States
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-leadership/wp/2013/06/27/new-york-passes-paid-sick-leave-law-but-u-s-still-far-behind/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-leadership/wp/2013/06/27/new-york-passes-paid-sick-leave-law-but-u-s-still-far-behind/
Most people here return to work almost immediately. They have to. It's pretty dumb.
With the insane cost of pregnancy in the US and the fact that most companies won't pay you for time off taken for a pregnancy, you're almost asking for the impossible depending on the job.
SpoonyBard
Banned
And makes dumber kids, as breastfeeding increases intelligence.
Karsticles
Member
Indeed. The truth is that Americans are exhausted, which looks a lot like laziness from afar.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Also, many of us are becoming disillusioned with our prospects of living at least as well as our parents. Bitterness and resentment are slowing us down.
I get 10 after being with the company for 5 years. Only had 5 a year before that, you use them or lose them. Good thing I intend on leaving the company soon considering I've been getting dicked around about my raise and I've been there almost 8 years and I'm the assistant manager
RedBullEnergy
Member
UK "only" has 28 as standard but damn, you guys in the US/Canada have it bad. Ontop of that your employment laws seem to heavily favour the employer as opposed to it being a mutual thing.
I feel like I'm missing out by not being able to go work in the US.. but I'm not sure I'd like all the negatives that go with it.
I feel like I'm missing out by not being able to go work in the US.. but I'm not sure I'd like all the negatives that go with it.
Sorry, typo. 25, due to shiftwork.
RustyNails
Member
Awesome. Exactly the kind of family mechanism to create another worker drone!
The number on the paycheck looks smaller than it does in america.
Damn you currency exchange!
Liberty4all
Banned
spend time with family?
travel?
pursue hobbies and interests?
relax and unwind with spouse for a couple weeks doing whatever you want?
10 day cruise?
museum jumping?
play video games 9 - 5 for two weeks straight drinking as you go?
3 week road trip?
2 weeks at cottage with the kids in the summer?
one month in Europe/asia/Australia/etc?
A week camping in the wilderness?
man I can think of ALOT of things id do if I had more paid vacation days.
speaking from experience its not the 9 - 5's you are going to remember its the vacation time spent with family.
Liberty4all
Banned
A lot of americans suffer from not being able to work in some way. I don't know what it is but my SO gets it as well. I get 3 days off a week and she gets 2. Some weeks she will get a third day off that she lines up with mine and she starts going mad on her third day off. I don't understand people who can't just bum around and relax....
Zoe
Member
It's still several hundred dollars.
UK here. I get 30 days off and public holidays. But I'm only allowed to roll over 5 days per year. Since I started my job after I'd taken holidays in my previous position, I've always had the extra 5 days.
My wife is Social worker. She gets an extra days holiday entitlement added every year from a base of 28 days. Some of the people she works with have 40+ days entitlement.
My wife is Social worker. She gets an extra days holiday entitlement added every year from a base of 28 days. Some of the people she works with have 40+ days entitlement.
Liberty4all
Banned
um, its entirely possible to have and do those things with 30 or more days off a year (since its paid time off) and still be well off too.
Spending quality time with the family, or even just enjoying your paid time off outside of work isn't lazy, it enriches your life.
if i work those 30 days, thats an extra 8000$ in my pocket
which is a rolex, or a down payment on a new ducati, or maybe a new engine for my speedboat
i would rather have those instead of being lazy for 30 days and then complain why video games are 60$. there will be alot of "time off" to rest when im 6 feet under the ground
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
That just leaves that window open for the other guy to get ahead of you. Dog eat dog, man. You want the shiny prize? Show us how much.
Adam Blade
WWKC
UL plz
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked