I knew that there was a difference between the US and Europe but WOW! In Europe the average regardless of seniority or specific job is 20 days. That is the LEGAL minimum.

National holidays and Bank holidays in Ireland account for 10 days a year, which is on top of your 20 day min entitlement.

Then there is the issue of 'sick days'. I have heard that in the US you must take sick days from your holiday entitlement. In Ireland normally you are okay taking one sick day every few weeks, without a medical cert. Anything over two days and you need a medical cert, but this time off is not taken from your holiday entitlement.

The last point I would like to make is teachers!! My mother is a teacher and teachers in Ireland get.......wait for it........16 weeks paid vacation. Obviously over the summer period, but in Ireland school is out from the end of May to Septmeber 1st. Theres a job were you can do serious travelling!!!!

pnestor,
I think you should also take in account the number of hours/week you work.

Where I work, we work 42,5 hours/week.
Legal vacation: 20 days, 5 more once over 50 yrs old.
On top, the legal holidays, between 8 and 12 days, according to the calendar's luck (a very bad year this year, with Xmas and NYear on a saturday!).
Overtime is mostly taken as vacation, it can only be paid when it is some 'special' task. I easily get 15 to 20 days a year.

The problem is that while you take all these days off, the work keeps coming!!!

Been working for three years. Got ten holidays, plus 12 national holidays.

Can be taken together. Leave-without-pay also granted.

baldrick

You're right, it is so true about work mounting whiel away, adds to the whole post holiday blues syndrom. I work in IT so it is rarely a 40 hour week for me, upwards on 50, if you include on call weekends etc....

One other fact that makes me look again at how lucky we are in Ireland, if the original bank holiday falls on a weekend, like St Patrick's day or Christmas on a Saturday or Sunday, we get the following Monday off to compensate. Does that not happen in other countries???

pnestor,
yes, you're lucky in recuperating the holiday on the next monday. I had this in belgium also, but this is a no-deal here in switzerland...

I have been working for the same company for 9 years (in the US) I work 3 days per week (35.5 total hrs) as a computer analyst. I get 22 days PTO per year. Sick time is taken out of this unless more that 23.25 hrs, then it goes into sick bank. 8 paid holidays that can be floating holidays since we work 3 days.

pnestor & baldrick:

U.S. companies differ quite alot here. The "holiday package" can actually be made more attractive if a company wishes to entice potential employees.

I work for a privately held company (170 employees) and as a "salaried" employee, I get 21 vacation days (14 years on the job), and 9 holidays. In addition I am allowed 10 sick days a year, and short term disability if an illness lasts longer. If a holiday happens on a Saturday, we take the Friday prior, On Sunday and we take Monday.

I should also mention that the "hourlies" also get 1 extra holiday
for hunting season. The first day of hunting (deer) season is a holiday in our area.

As the owner of the company I get as many days as I feel like taking however,
My wife is a Walmart Super center manager and has been with them for 15 years, gets 4 weeks plus 7 holidays
plus sick time but she can only take 17
days at a time so we vacation around her time off.

I get 14 days sick leave in addition to the 26 days vacation leave. 11 paid holidays. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, get Friday or Monday off in place of it. USA.

In Australia the standard is 4 weeks recreation leave, plus national and local holidays. Some classes of employee do better. Sick leave is extra. The problem for many workers is that the proportion of casual jobs, which carry no leave entitlements, has been growing. Some workaholics keep deferring their leave until told "use it or lose it"; very few opt for "lose".

I get 2 weeks vacation and 6 paid holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving & Christmas). I worked two of the holidays this year, so I had 2 extra days to use when I wanted.

In just 2 more years I will have 15 years with the company and get the maximum 3 weeks vacation.

I am in the US.

Keith

Technincally as much as I want. That was part of the deal offered me when I came onboard, and I feel very fortunate to have it.

Bank employees generally get 20 days plus you need to take 10 consecutive days to ensure you are not committing a fraud. That is the best reason to work for a bank!

I live in the US (St. Louis). I work for a foundation that, fortunately, has amazing benefits, including lots of vacation time. I have been here for almost 2 years. I get 31 vacation days a year, plus 6 paid holidays and every other Friday off. However, I never take more than 2 weeks of vacation at a time because my husband unfortunately gets quite a bit less vacation days than I do.

I work for the UK National Health Service and get a standard 33 days leave plus 8 Bank Holidays.
I work a basic 37 hour week but am "voluntarily" on an on-call rota where I do 24 hour shift (9am to 9am). Naturally, I am paid for these extra hours but my commitment for this on-call is about twice a week plus I have to work most weekends as well. So much for Tony Blair and the European Working Time Directive! If I was French I would burn a sheep or block a port or two to protest.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519359

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1292798

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1316159

I work for a county agency. I get 21 days vacation, 21 days sick, and 14 holidays per year.

Federal job = 26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, and 10 Holidays