What's the average vacation time for an employee

[NWFlyer 2]

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What giggles me up is how many Americans who have never lived anywhere outside of the US
think that 2 weeks vacation is generous. It's (partly) the same reason why so many Americans don't realize how backward the US is for not having a universal national health service: they simply don't know any better because they've never experienced a true basis of comparison.

I haven't lived outside the U.S. in my adult life, but I recognize it as pretty bass-ackwards. For me, flexibility and time off are among the most important things to me when evaluating a job opportunity. I'll take more time over more money any day, and I appreciate working for a place now where not only do I get a good amount of time off, people actually use their vacation time. I also appreciate that I have a job that (most of the time) I can perform from anywhere. Right now I'm in a project phase that requires a lot of in-person time (and travel) but most of the time I can do my job online and over the phone and be just about anywhere. That gives me "time" in another way because I can work from home if I need to and multitask on the boring chores of life like laundry and not have to take up my precious evening and weekend time to do it.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Andy9o8 0]

Far too many American employers are penny-wise and pound foolish. It never even occurs to them that a burnt-out employee is far more costly to the company than a battery-recharged one.

[NWFlyer 2]

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Far too many American employers are penny-wise and pound foolish. It never even occurs to them that a burnt-out employee is far more costly to the company than a battery-recharged one.

And far too many people don't figure out how to value their contributions other than through how much/how hard they work, so they use that as their primary measure (and they continue to be drawn to employers who use that as their primary measure).

Fortunately, I got over that really early in my career. I know and can demonstrate that I add a lot of value in the time that I do work - I don't need to be able to say "I worked 70 hours this week" or "I haven't been able to take a vacation in years" to know that.

(All that said, my company mostly "gets it" though right now they're doing their best to burn through staff on this particular project that I'm on right now ... . Fortunately, I'm willing to push back and I'm fully into my toddler phase at work ... my favorite word these days is "No".)

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[sharimcm 0]

I get 8 days for vacation until two years, then it's 10 days. For sick/personal, I get 15 days until two years, then it gets raised to 18 days. I have no idea why we get more sick time than vacation time, but whatever. I call in sick as often as I can when I need a vacation day.

"I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself

[Bolas 5]

Too many of my coworkers take working vacations and monitor email while off.

If I'm off, no email and any phone call goes to voice mail and I'll decide if they get an answer. Luckilly my company is good about not bothering people when on vacation.

Almost 10 years and was getting 5 weeks but after the merger I'm losing a week. I may get it back next year though when I hit 10.
I've found saying something will cost alot more is way more effective than saying no.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[airtwardo 7]

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Too many of my coworkers take working vacations and monitor email while off.

If I'm off, no email and any phone call goes to voice mail and I'll decide if they get an answer. Luckilly my company is good about not bothering people when on vacation.

Almost 10 years and was getting 5 weeks but after the merger I'm losing a week. I may get it back next year though when I hit 10.
I've found saying something will cost alot more is way more effective than saying no.

Who did Taco Bell merge with ???

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Bolas 5]

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Quote

Too many of my coworkers take working vacations and monitor email while off.

If I'm off, no email and any phone call goes to voice mail and I'll decide if they get an answer. Luckilly my company is good about not bothering people when on vacation.

Almost 10 years and was getting 5 weeks but after the merger I'm losing a week. I may get it back next year though when I hit 10.
I've found saying something will cost alot more is way more effective than saying no.

Who did Taco Bell merge with ???

Pepto-Bismol...

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[Broke 0]

A lot of companies have started to make it all one classification. All PTO instead of vacation and sick time. Also giving the employee the ability to cash outsome PTO if they take 40 hours off. It prevents people from calling in sick when they aren't really sick. It is really a great idea.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[NWFlyer 2]

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A lot of companies have started to make it all one classification. All PTO instead of vacation and sick time. Also giving the employee the ability to cash outsome PTO if they take 40 hours off. It prevents people from calling in sick when they aren't really sick. It is really a great idea.

Yep, I much prefer that. I'm very rarely sick, so I'd rather have more PTO that I can use for whatever I need it for. I can work from home if I just have a cold and not have to touch my time off (but also won't expose my coworkers to my germs). I also like that my company has an extended illness bank that you can use after a certain number of days (can't remember if it's 3 or 5 days) of illness or immediately in the case of surgery or hospitalization (using that requires a documentation from a doctor, I think). That way, if something more serious does happen, you're not required to use your PTO.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Broke 0]

Also some companies now allow people to give some PTO in cases of emergency to ill or injured employees. I kinda like that because it allows you to help your friends.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[Squeak 17]

I work 10 weeks then have 2 weeks off
then work 10 weeks then have 2 weeks off
then work 10 weeks then have 2 weeks off
then work 10 weeks then have 6 weeks off

I do that for 4 years then have the 5th year off

Oh and i have a bunch of sick days as well, and after 10 years i have long service leave , which is 3 months off with full pay or 6 months at half pay

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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I get 8 days for vacation until two years, then it's 10 days. For sick/personal, I get 15 days until two years, then it gets raised to 18 days. I have no idea why we get more sick time than vacation time, but whatever. I call in sick as often as I can when I need a vacation day.

State law often requires companies to pay out for unused vacation at your current salary. That can be a big liability on the books.

The sick leave policy is probably cheaper than paying for short-term disability insurance.

[kallend 1,726]

I have a 9 month contract. I get 3 months off, unpaid, each year. If I can find an alternative source of work in those 3 months (like teaching summer school, consulting, or running a summer program), I can take it and get paid for that. Or I can take a nice long vacation.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Herky 0]

Where I work, they've realized the turnover is so great, it is more penny-wise to pay overtime than hire new employees. I've worked 16 hours overtime(56 hours total) a week now since January. If only we had the same system my brother gets...he earns PTO for how many hours he has worked. So he takes all the overtime he can get, builds up PTO, then takes a lot off. Must be nice.

[Thanatos340 1]

2 Weeks Vacation plus 5 Sick Days for the first five years is pretty standard. Then one additional Week for every 5 years.

The key is to always negotiate Vacation before taking a Job. Last Jobs I had I told them I have 3 weeks vacation now, If you want to hire me I will expect the same to start and the same extra week for every 5 years. All agreed even though policy was 2 weeks.