How much vacation do you take?

[wolf_Q]

I get so many hours of PTO a year. I think I have 250 something right now...they roll over from previous years though I think sometimes some are lost. But my PTO is our hourly rate (we make hourly or commission whichever is higher) so it's only like $7.50 an hour. I definitely make more than that (unless its really slow) with commission, so, while I do get paid to take time off it is not the same pay I would make working if that makes sense. So taking a week off "just to use hours" I would generally loose money as I would not be making the same amount as if I was at work. But it sure is nice to take a week off and get paid while I'm not there. I don't necessarily keep track of how many hours I use but if I want to take a trip I take it and I use my hours. I like to have some on hand because we do not have a separate sick leave if I want to get paid while I had to take time off for a surgery or something I would have to use my PTO.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I am not really sure, but I think my hubby has as much vacation days as in The Netherlands!
But........ from July on he will have as much vacation as he chooses, because........................................... ....
he will be retired as from July 1st !!! Yîppie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[maid25cats]

At my old job after 18yrs I was up to 5 weeks vac, 6 sick. I started there in 89, some years later they changed it to no more than 4 weeks but if you were hired before a certain year you still got the 5th week after the 15 years. 6 sick days and you got paid if you didn't use them . Paid holidays and the company was closed from Christmas Eve to New Years -PAID.
So I think it ended up being about 16 paid holidays. Unfortunately they moved out of the state
New company:
Right now after 4 years this month I just got 4 more days added which brings me up to 14 days vac and 8 sick.
But now they changed the sick day policy that is use it or lose it.

Right now with 5 cats I cant really go away so I stay around the house

[Randi]

Wow, it's really different over there... huge variations from one company to another, and from one state to another. I would have thought there was a law stating the minimum/maximum days of vacation for all Americans. Well, at least most of you get at least 2 weeks of vacation. In my opnion that's not enough to wind down, but I guess with the financial crisis we have, this is not the time to fight for more.

I found this that shows the development over the years:

1919	First demands for holiday entitlement made in connection with collective bargaining.
1920s	Workers in a few factories obtain the right to three days' annual leave.
1931	Half of the members of trade unions affiliated to LO (then DsF) obtain one week's paid annual leave in connection with the conclusion of new collective agreements.
1936	In connection with new agreements, a larger share of workers obtain a right to summer holiday with pay.
1938	The Holiday Act gives all employees a right to two weeks' annual leave.
1952	A third week of annual leave is introduced with effect from 1953 in connection with the conclusion of collective agreements.
1971	A fourth week of annual leave is introduced with effect from 1973.
1979	A fifth week of annual leave is introduced.
1995	A new - and more flexible - holiday agreement concluded in the public sector is overruled by the Ministry of Labour, but the following year this leads to deliberations concerning a revision of the Holiday Act.
1998	Two special holidays per year are introduced in connection with the government intervention in the dispute in the private sector bargaining area covered by DA/LO (DK9805168F).
1999	Three special holidays per year are introduced in the agreements concluded in various sectors, including the public sector, to be implemented in the course of the period up to 2002 (DK9903114F).
Spring 2000	Five special holidays per year are introduced in the agreements in the private sector bargaining area covered by DA/LO, to be implemented during the period up to 2003. The sixth week of annual leave is thus a reality - without being holiday in the sense of the Holiday Act.
May 2000	New Holiday Act is passed. It introduces a higher degree of flexibility, in the form of the possibility to enter into agreements to transfer one week of annual leave to the following holiday year.

A little more info: http://www.working-in-denmark.com/La...ions-1036.aspx

[pomtzu]

With the economy and job market what it is now in the U.S, a lot of people will take whatever job they can find, regardless of the benefits. Some 10-15 years ago, you could shop around and be somewhat choosy, and take a job not only based on salary, but what benefits it had to offer. I wasn't overly happy with my job and I had considered finding a job elsewhere for more money, but that also involved finding a job with good benefits and within reasonable travel distance. I made decent money where I was, had great benefits, and only had to drive about 7 minutes to get there. I had job offers with more money, but traveling an hour each way would have defeated the purpose, and in the end, I would be losing, considering gas prices, tolls, wear and tear on my car, so it wasn't worth a change. And I sure wouldn't start a new job with 4 weeks vacation either. Money is a short term motivator in a lot of instances, and you really have to weigh all the options. I hope that somehow this economy will turn around in time for my grandkids to not have the struggle that so many people have today.

Sorry - I got a little off topic.........

[Randi]

With the economy and job market what it is now in the U.S, a lot of people will take whatever job they can find, regardless of the benefits.

I certainly would, too! It just seems hopeless to even get a shit job. When 30 year olds, fresh from University can't get jobs, how are we around sixty ever going to get one.

In my opinion, greed has contributed a lot to the mess we're in now. Still, some who screw up, still get their million $$ bonuses.

[pomtzu]

In my opinion, greed has contributed a lot to the mess we're in now. Still, some who screw up, still get their million $$ bonuses.

Yup - and the government bails their company out too. All of this when thousands of people are losing their homes to foreclosure and can barely feed their families. I'm glad I'm old!!! At least I don't have to worry about just starting out in life, and facing a lifetime of who know what anymore. Guess I never really had it so bad afterall.

[Glacier]

As much as possible! The only way to keep my hubby from going back to work early is to take him out of the country! We just got back from Honduras a couple weeks ago! Stuart is self-employed. There are no paid breaks ever. Even in Honduras, he was working at least an hour a day by email!

I have a very generous benefit package at work. I get 5 weeks of paid holiday time a year that can be banked indefinately. My boss encourages us to use it regularly. Every five years I get an extra week of "long service leave". It has to be used before I'm elegible for the next one.

I earn a day and a half a month of sick leave, which can also be banked. I currently have 6 months of sick leave banked. I rarely use it! I used two weeks last year; one after surgery to fix my wrist and another after I had laser surgery on my eyes.

I also have "special leave". It's kinda like personal leave for reasons other than illness. I get six days a year, but can bank up to 30 days of it which I have. People with kids use it way more than I do. I've only ever used it to attend funerals or take care of Stuart when he was injured.

I have a week booked off in May. Going to Saskatchewan to visit my family and meet my newest niece, who is due to arrive May 9. I have two weeks booked in September...I'd like to spend my 40th birthday on a beach somewhere. Gotta find a dogsitter for that before I book anything though! May dogsitter is already arranged.

I'm also doing a deferred salary plan at work. For the next five years, my employer witholds part of my salary and banks it. I get the 6th year off with pay. I could have done a shorter time period of banking, but this way it's less of a financial impact and in five years it will much much easier to find a critter sitter! I have a count down app on my phone..it's 1963 days from today until I'm off!