How much vacation time do you get?
 

As an American working in the lovely corporate world, I get a measly 2 weeks of vacation - and this includes my sick days. If I'm sick (which unfortunately I am today - & still at work!!) I have to use my vacation, or as they call it, "personal days". So how much time do you guys get? In my opinion, 4 weeks should be standard, as in Europe. People need to stop being workoholics & rest & enjoy life in this country!!!

As another American in the lovely corporate world...I get 11.5 hours per month of "Annual Leave", to be used for vacation/sick time. This time is accrued monthly, you can't use it until you accrue it.

We have other leave catagories say for funeral/administration (which gets used alot for hurricane season down here in FL)/jury duty etc...

Had I not left the company for a year and a half, I'd be at 19.5 hours per month!

Angela, thats awful, having to take a day off your holiday when you are sick. Counterproductive too I would think, with people coming to work sick, passing their colds around for others.

Move to Holland! Some people get 5 or 6 weeks. Not including sick leave.

I live in Ireland and at my company (a US firm actually) they give the staff in Ireland 23 days annual leave per year; if you've been working there for over five years, you get 25 days leave annually (or five weeks). Our US co-workers get three weeks. Not fair, but I think the salaries are adjusted for this - but either way, I still prefer my time off!

In Paris, I get 6 weeks' annual leave, plus 11 statutory holidays, plus the remaining days in the week between Christmas and New Year's off. Plus an extra 2 weeks' leave and plane ticket home every other year. There is also exceptional paid leave, including 2 weeks for newlyweds.

I think we've had a thread on this once before, but it was from a few years back, and we had many, many responses on it.

I get 4 weeks paid vacation. I must use that time within my employer's fiscal year, or else I lose it, as it does not "roll over" into the next fiscal year. I also currently receive 9 "personal days" which I can use to add on to my vacation if I so choose. The personal days, however, do carry over into the next fiscal year. I am expected to use that time for sick time, personal business that would take me out of the office, like a dental or doctor's appointment, etc. Next year I will lose 3 of my personal days under a cost-cutting measure implemented by my employer. Back when I accrued 3 weeks of paid vacation, my employer gave me the option of buying an additional week, which I would do. However, once we "max out" and get 4 weeks, we're not permitted to buy an additional week. I think that's a shame, 'cause I would buy one if it were an option, in order to get 5 weeks. BTW, my company is one that expects us to work a full 8-hour day on both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve if Christmas and New Years Day are not on weekends---despite the fact most of our vendors are closed, and there's no "real" work to do!

BC

Ok, Kate - I'm moving to Paris!!! I'm getting married next weekend, so I've talked my boss into giving me two weeks unpaid leave for our HM to Europe.

Tulips - you're right - here I am at work, sitting on Fodors, not doing anything. However the mess of papers on my desk could show otherwise... ;)

If other first world countries (ex: in Europe) are able to remain productive & competitive, have continued growth, and allow their employees a good amount of time off, why don't American companies do this? I really do not understand it!!

Most companies do make you work Xmas Eve & New Years Eve - these should both be given vacation days. Even if a person is not Christian, I don't think they would object to having the day off!!

Hi AS,

Don't you get various paid holidays - 4th July, Memorial Day, etc?

((I))

Think the other solution is to start your own business and set your own vacation schedule. I met a man in Italy who takes ridiculously long trips with his wife and daughter and can do so because he's the boss.

For me it doesn't matter how much vacation time I get (I honestly don't know what I get - I never asked and the boss never told) because they always seem to find me no matter where I go.

In Australia the standard is 4 weeks annual leave in addition to sick leave and / or personal leave. Sick leave, personal leave and maternity leave varies between industries, companies and pay agreements. We also have long service leave where after 10 years with the same organisation you get 90 days (basically 3 months) paid leave - very good for long holidays overseas. I work for the public service (state government) and we get the following paid leave:
- 4 weeks annual leave pa (any time owing is paid out if you leave the organisation)
- 12 days sick leave pa (not paid out if you leave)
- some personal or carers days but these may be offset with the sick leave I think (ie caring for a sick child or other dependent relative)
- 1 moving house day pa
- upto 3 days for the death of a close relative
- 10 public holidays
- 12 weeks paid maternity leave - this is fairly recent (up to 2 years leave without pay but most don't take more than 1 year)
- 90 days long service leave (LSL) after 10 years service (pro rata amount paid out in cash if you leave after 7 years service). After 10 years you keep earning 9 days LSL pa and then 12 days LSL pa after 15 years service.

The annual leave of 4 weeks pa is standard across the country as is long service leave. I'm not sure how many get paid maternity leave as this has only come in for my workplace in the past few years, although 12 months leave without pay is standard.

I think we get a very good deal here and have heard that a lot of Americans only get 2 weeks. Although certain European countries are supposed to have better deals than we do. Paid maternity leave is a big step forward. A few years ago the federal government also introduced a baby bonus payment. It's currently about $4000 for each child born. The old payment was about $900 and dependent on immunising your child.

Sorry, if this makes you feel bad. I could not cope having just 2 weeks off each year. By the way, my long service leave came up this year hence my 6 week trip to Europe/UK soon.

AngelaS:

Before you pack up and move to Paris, see my posts from the past few days on a thread about doggie merde on the streets of Paris :)

Congratulations on your wedding Angela! Hope you feel better soon.

4 weeks; 3 days personal "holidays" (this is for people who want to take off, lets say, Yom Kippur...and couldn't care less about Christmas and other situations); and we get 10 days sick-leave-bought back if on is not sick (I've not been sick for 10 years..knock on wood). And the firm gives 9 national holidays.

Right now I get about three and a half weeks (I live in the US). BUT I've been working for the same company for 22 years now so I've literally spent decades moving up to this level. I think in 3 years I'll have a full four weeks.

We accrue our vacation, x number of hours per pay period, which is every other week. Right now I accrue a little over 11 hours. We are able to roll over our vacation from year to year, but if your PTO (paid time off) bank hits 500 hours, you cannot accrue anymore. I'm also fortunate to have excellent bosses who are actually excited for me when I travel. That has not always been the case with previous bosses. I still have nightmares about my previous department.

BTW, congrats on your upcoming wedding, Angela. I agree with your workaholic philosophy.

Lots of employees posting on this but not many employers.

I am a self-employed attorney. Since I'm the boss, I can take whatever vacation time I can afford. This year, I'm taking a 10 day vaction--longest I've taken since getting out in the working world. I would have gone the full two weeks as I will be out of the office for 8 business days anyway, but vacation budget constraints limited the length of time I could spend travelling.

As for our employees, we will allow them to take 10 paid vacation days over the course of a year, which doesn't sound like much, but we also don't have a rigid policy on personal time (if you need to go to the doctor, you go--if you've got to meet the cable guy at home, you go meet them). We take some, but not all, federal holidays, but we always take off the day after Thanksgiving and take extra days around Christmas. I know there are folks who get less than that, and I feel for them, but I don't feel bad about not giving our employees as much time as Europeans enjoy. In a small business like ours, it's noticeable when someone is gone, and it's simply not practical in our business climate. Work does not stop in the US for a full month while everyone goes on vacation.

As to those who think we can take the European approach without huring our economy, they are simply not facing reality. The US government isn't going to require employers to provide vacation time, and the market clearly doesn't place a large value on vacation time--if people valued it that much, companies would end up having to give more vacation time to key personnel, which would probably trickle down to everyone in the organization.

I am in the US, get 26 days of vacation, 10 days 'family care time' & of course all the bank holidays (another 10 days) since that is where I work.

I get five weeks plus all "government" holidays plus sick leave...but then again, I work for the Government...

Thank you, taxpayers (of which I am one)!!

English public sector worker here – get ready to get envious!

My standard leave is 25 days per year – a nd because I’ve been employed for more than five years I get an extra 5 days – taking the total to 30. Plus the usual bank holidays and an extra day for the Queen’s Birthday.

This isn’t that unusual in Britain – although it is on the generous side, but the thing we get that staggers others is: flexi time.

I am contracted to work a 35 hour week. If I work over that I can add up the time and use it as leave – we are allowed two days a month on this (and it’s not hard to build up 14 extra hours over a month). That equates to another 24 days pa. – ie 54 days holiday a year – nearly eleven weeks. To be honest even I find this hard to justify. Not that I’m complaining.

I run my own business, soI call the vacation shots. I take about 10-12 weeks a year. The down side is it's never really a vacation because I have to be plugged into the office no matter where I am in the world.

Still, it beats the traditional American formula...

I get 22 days inclusive for vacation, personal and sick. I work for a small to medium size company in NYC and have been here for 9 years.
It's been very hard getting by with this amount of vacation as I have a daughter and schools give plenty of vacation time!
IMO, American employers will never give more time off. They are always complaining about rising costs and losing competitive edge, etc. And what's the solution for rising costs in America - more layoffs! Workers have no power anymore, everything is pro business.

I work for a local government in the US and have been with them for 7 years so I have worked up to accrueing 15 days of vacation per year, when I started I received 12 days per year after 5 years, 10 years, 15 years and 20 years the number of days increase at each milestone.

For vaction and sick time accruals we go by the calendar year and can rollover up to 30 days of vacation at the end of the year anything over 30 days is lost and there is no cap on the amount of sick time we can rollover. Right now I have 28 vacation days and will be taking 20 of them in September to go to Central Europe...YIPEE! ;)

We also get 2 "Floating" personal holidays we can take for any reason during the calendar year and we get 8 paid holidays each year.

Some years I don't take all the vacation days I have available and then I have a nice chunk of time to take a long trip every couple years.

I'm a minority owner of my firm and get three weeks vacation. I usually pick my vacation spots so that I won't be missed too terribly.

tkw - Good point, and personally, that is what I think is a problem in the US - people not taking enough time for themselves & their families. Work seems to always be number one priority, and while it is important, family & rest is even more important.

HS - it is true, we are at the mercy of the employers. I get frustrated b/c all of my coworkers do not travel abroad - for them 5 days off is a lot! While I'm accustomed to 1-2 month vacations. I knew the vacation sucked at my company, but I took this job for the experience. I am hoping to own my own business some day which will give me more flexibility. The last compnay I worked for, everyone started out with 4 weeks - unheard of in the US! I miss it!!

StCirq - I hear you on being plugged in, but I'd rather be plugged in somewhere fun than at the office anyday!

I'm in the UK and get 25 days, 3 of which need to be saved for between Christmas and New Year - plus of course the usual bank holidays. The maximum that can be saved until the next year is 5 days - and these then need to be taken before May, or lost.

If I'm genuinely ill I stay off work with full pay - I hate people who insist on coming in with the flu and infecting everyone else. There is statutary leave for maternity, paternity, etc. Other "personal" leave for bereavement, etc, is at the discression of the management.

I couldn't survive on 2 weeks leave!

I will admit that I am very lucky when it comes to the vacation time department. I have been working here for about three and a half years, and right now I get 6 weeks of paid vacation every year plus every other Friday off. Unfortunately DH gets about half this, although the company he works for is currently reviewing their vacation policy so that could (hopefully) change.

Tracy

This year I have 28 days! woohooo!

After 15 years with my employer I am maxed out at 25 days vacation. In addition to that I get 3 floating holidays, 6 personal days and 6 sick days. I feel extremely fortunate to get this as many Americans are getting just 1 week a year vacation.

Three weeks per year paid, and therafter as much time as I want unpaid.

I get 26 workdays of paid vacation time a year (plus a couple of hours). That comes to 5 or 6 weeks a year depending on how you combine that time with the 11 annual paid holidays. Also get about 14 paid sick days a year.

We can also work extra hours for compensatory time off whenever we want if there is plenty of work to do. So if it's a rainy day and not much happening at home, and I've got some task that I can finish up or get a head start on, I'll work an extra hour or two. Then can use those hours for unexpected leave needs.

Leave was an important consideration for me when I was comparing job offers.

3 weeks paid vacation, 9 sick/personal days paid, and all the 'bank' holidays.

I am in the US and get 5 weeks (25 days) paid vacation. That is because I worked at my company for 25 years. 5 weeks is the maximum. I can carry over 5 days to the next year. Rules are: 2 wks to start, 3 wks at 7 years, 4 wks at 17 years, and 5 at 25 years. Those are more liberal than when I started. I had to wait until 10 years to get 3 weeks...a LONG time!

We get now get 11 paid holidays which is more than when I started.

One downside is that the company began a policy of doing a "shutdown" the first week of August. They did it first in 2005 and will continue with the policy. I hate it because I don't normally travel during August but I'm stuck using 5 vacation days anyway. When I can, I like to fold in a holiday (usually Memorial Day) into my trips so I can squeeze out one more vacation day!

Doing it again this year...leaving for Europe on May 24th. Hurray!

LeeParis

With a US company for 10 years - I get 4 weeks of vacation, 6 optional holidays and 6 national holidays.

This year I have worked New years day - flying to a customer location and I will work Memorial day flying to cross country - I get to make up these days later in the year.

<< If other first world countries (ex: in Europe) are able to remain productive & competitive, have continued growth, and allow their employees a good amount of time off, why don't American companies do this? I really do not understand it!! >>

Productive? Competetive? Growth? Surely you jest.
Most Euro economies are much less productive than the US economy. Growth is nearly nil (Germany - .8% last year) and even negative (Italy) for some countries.
Vacation policy in the US is not a govt mandated thing. It is left to individual companies and unions and even the individual worker what kind of deal we get. There are places that give 2 weeks. Others 6 or more. People use vacation needs as a bargaining chip, much like other benefits.
I know some people who never take vacation time as a matter of choice. I know others who barely work at all.
Teachers in the US get 3 months off.
All in all, I prefer our more individualized system than a one-size-fits-all approach that the euro welfare states mandate.

The notion that long vacations hurt the economy is baseless. Short or nonexistent vacations seriously harm the health of the workforce and contribution to losses in productivity and higher health care costs, among other things.

Besides, if you have to spend your entire life working, what difference does the state of the economy make?

Angela, I'm right there with you. The company gives us PTO (Paid Time Off) days. For the first 5 years, employees receive 18 total days off - be it for illness, funerals, vacation, etc. I'll have be in dire straits before surrenduring a potential day in Europe to a day home in bed. Tulips is so right ... everyone comes in sick and it just cycles around the office.

By the way, I really hope that you feel better soon and am sorry you lost a day off.

"Besides, if you have to spend your entire life working, what difference does the state of the economy make?"

Anthony, Amen.

When I worked, I had 10 days paid vacation and 5 days for "sick days" although they can be used for whatever we wanted. We also had all national holidays off, paid. We did have to work Xmas and New Year's eve but only for half a day and got paid for 8 hrs.

After 5 yrs, you got an addtional 5 days off. In addition, you could get unpaid time off except during the holidays.

I no longer work there and I'm now a student (again) so I have the summer, winter, and spring break off. I'm enjoying my current schedule :)

I get 4 weeks vacation after 5 years with the firm. Don't use it all - don't want just to stay at home, so get some paid off - more money for vacation :)

We can't carry over more then 30 vacation days, get auto-paid-out.

As for the sick days, they are separate from vacation, unfortunately, not even sure how many, I try to use them here and there - for appointments, catch up on sleep, etc...

I would be much happier with "paid time off", but... don't make the rules.

(San Francisco, US, private firm)