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More time off when I lived in England was great, but at the same time, our cost of living is much lower here than it was in England, so we can afford a much more. In England, we could only afford a small, one bedroom apartment with one parking space. Now we have a 4 bedroom, 3 story house with a 2 car garage.
I worked in the USA and got 4 weeks paid vacation plus public holidays Just saying
My vacations went (weeks means 5 paid days)
First year 2 weeks, 5 paid floating days (in lieu of public holidays) and Christmas, Independence day, Thanksgiving and Friday following, New Years Day, company days off. 2 weeks paid sick leave. Could carry over 2 weeks of unused vacation (but not sick or floating days) per year.
Second year to forth year, 4 weeks vacation everything else the same
Fourth year six weeks vacation, can carry over 4 weeks vacation, everything else the same
10th year (although I never got there) company sponsored 3 month sabbatical (once per employment decade), 8 weeks vacation, 6 weeks carry over.
In practice the first year tended to amount to 5 weeks vacation (because everyone just used sick days as extra vacay and the 5 floating days).
One big advantage of the paid sick days was for emergencies and dilligaf days. I remember calling my manager one morning and stating mental health day, he said OK, I had my 2 weeks sick did I want to take another one tomorrow.
My personal experience was that the first year I took one week vacation, the second year through forth I was kind of forced to take 3 weeks of personal vacation (so 4 weeks overall), after that I think everyone was just carrying over the maximum in vacation days, so everyone was taking at least 6 weeks a year.
That said like Mag we were rated by results not effort. There were weeks where I turned up for 2 hour days or not at all, and others where I needed to put in the time. I liked it far more than the UK system, for all the stated starting 2 weeks vacation.
Yes, some lucky people get 3 weeks vacation after starting a new job, but few start with more than that (I got 6 weeks off when I lived in Michigan, but that's because I worked at a community college).
Most people in Canada and the US get 2 weeks off when they begin a new job, and they gradually earn more the longer they stay at one job. I'm at 3 weeks now, but that's after almost 3 years at my current job.
First year 2 weeks, 5 paid floating days (in lieu of public holidays) and Christmas, Independence day, Thanksgiving and Friday following, New Years Day, company days off. 2 weeks paid sick leave. Could carry over 2 weeks of unused vacation (but not sick or floating days) per year.
Second year to forth year, 4 weeks vacation everything else the same
Fourth year six weeks vacation, can carry over 4 weeks vacation, everything else the same
10th year (although I never got there) company sponsored 3 month sabbatical (once per employment decade), 8 weeks vacation, 6 weeks carry over.
In practice the first year tended to amount to 5 weeks vacation (because everyone just used sick days as extra vacay and the 5 floating days).
One big advantage of the paid sick days was for emergencies and dilligaf days. I remember calling my manager one morning and stating mental health day, he said OK, I had my 2 weeks sick did I want to take another one tomorrow.
My personal experience was that the first year I took one week vacation, the second year through forth I was kind of forced to take 3 weeks of personal vacation (so 4 weeks overall), after that I think everyone was just carrying over the maximum in vacation days, so everyone was taking at least 6 weeks a year.
That said like Mag we were rated by results not effort. There were weeks where I turned up for 2 hour days or not at all, and others where I needed to put in the time. I liked it far more than the UK system, for all the stated starting 2 weeks vacation.
I don't have a bank of time at all. If my boss is ok with it then I take it, and she has never ever said no to anything. I am off for 8 days in a couple weeks, 2 days of for Thanksgiving then I have some odd days here and there before Christmas. Last year I went to Australia for a wedding and my work didn't even hesitate to give me the time.
I used to get 5 weeks vacation in the UK but I had to take a whole week at a time. My situation is certainly not the norm in the US but I much prefer my current vacation situation. Plus, I live so close to California, Utah and Arizona that i don't feel the pressure to "get away" like I did in the UK. If I take a 3 day weekend at home in Vegas the weather is usually awesome and I can hang out at the pool, hike at the mountains or head to the lake.
My wife works for a teachers union. I have no idea how much vacation she is entitled to, but in the fifteen years we've been together she's probably taken a total of about eight weeks. Her bosses are constantly asking her to take time off, but she refuses to do. By European standards a significant number of Americans could care less about vacation. Not uncommon to see elderly people refusing to retire.
I've been to England several times and just returned from three weeks there. Usually I have stayed in one town and got to know the people. I was impressed with their kindness and attentiveness. They're fun too, not as dour as many Americans seem to be, people who take themselves too seriously.
Used to be that a lot of them wanted to leave England and some even wanted to come here--I think I straightened a few out on that count. To me, the USA sucks in many ways. This last trip, people seemed more prosperous (just my impression and it could be naive) and content. But some still believe that they should live in Las Vegas or Miami or some other place that is touristy and not the normal type of place Americans live. They believe what they see on tv.
The one comment that I encountered on this recent trip was from someone who said, "When I learned we would be meeting two Americans I expected two fat people." Well, having returned to the US and looked around me, I can see why. I would love to live in England. It's beautiful, the food is good, the people are great, the climate is mild--especially the summers which are glorious compared to what Americans are stuck with.
Well, that's pretty ironic, considering that the Brits are no slim group of people themselves. They're catching up with us quickly, with an obesity rate of 27 percent (the US has an obesity rate of 33 percent). Both countries are in the top 25% in the world when it comes to obesity rates.
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or Miami or some other place that is touristy and not the normal type of place Americans live. They believe what they see on tv.
