Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But then the article says that 90 percent of American workers get paid vacation and holiday time. Every private company I have ever worked for, the past two decades, gave the workers paid vacation and holiday time. So what's the problem? Not guaranteeing something on paper doesn't mean it isn't going to happen.
Sure, only 40% of part timers may get such benefits, but they are part timers, not full time.
I currently get two weeks of paid time off, but that goes up after you serve a number of years, to an eventual max of five weeks. We also get paid holidays even if we don't work that day, and every year we also get the last week of December off, paid, as a company wide freebie holiday.
But then the article says that 90 percent of American workers get paid vacation and holiday time. Every private company I have ever worked for, the past two decades, gave the workers paid vacation and holiday time. So what's the problem? Not guaranteeing something on paper doesn't mean it isn't going to happen.
Sure, only 40% of part timers may get such benefits, but they are part timers, not full time.
I currently get two weeks of paid time off, but that goes up after you serve a number of years, to an eventual max of five weeks. We also get paid holidays even if we don't work that day, and every year we also get the last week of December off, paid, as a company wide freebie holiday.
I don't think it's embarrassing and neither do the owners. They offer it as a matter of enticement. If they wanted better workers, they increase the enticement...Just like they do with sick pay, personal days, stock options, 401K and other goodies....
So negotiate for more vacation time when applying for jobs.
Most companies will not negotiate vacation time. I tried to negotiate more starting vacation time at my current job and they said that's about the only thing they would not deviate from.
But then the article says that 90 percent of American workers get paid vacation and holiday time. Every private company I have ever worked for, the past two decades, gave the workers paid vacation and holiday time. So what's the problem? Not guaranteeing something on paper doesn't mean it isn't going to happen.
Sure, only 40% of part timers may get such benefits, but they are part timers, not full time.
I currently get two weeks of paid time off, but that goes up after you serve a number of years, to an eventual max of five weeks. We also get paid holidays even if we don't work that day, and every year we also get the last week of December off, paid, as a company wide freebie holiday.
Working for a Fortune 10 company, as a new hire, I received nearly 4 weeks of vacation:
2 weeks 'vacation time' - carry over up to 1 week - subject to blackout if >25% of workforce is off
1 week 'personal days' - does not roll over to next year - subject to blackout if >25% of workforce is off
1 week 'optional holidays' - does not roll over to next year - NOT subject to blackout... this is how I got the week off between Christmas and New Years my very first year, in a seniority-based shop.
This is a union job, so some terminology here might be foreign. I'm hourly. The reason we have a separate bank for optional holidays is this: Other types of vacation are counted as "time not worked". Take Monday off, and work 10 hrs a day Tue-Fri and you'll get a check for 48 hours of straight pay. Use an optional holiday, and it's counted as time worked, so you'll get 40 hours of straight pay, and 8 hours of 1.5x as if it's overtime.
My advice? Stop applying to companies in the Inc. 5000 and start applying for major players. Sometimes being a number has it's benefits. You don't have to perform multiple people's jobs, you can actually take time off, and usually the benefits are cheaper and more generous.
At my last job I worked 30 hours a week and received 2 weeks paid vacation, 5 sick days and if I needed more time I typically got it, but unpaid. My current job, I work 35 hours a week and receive NOTHING. My boss doesn't give anyone 40 hours so he doesn't have to offer benefits. I basically get unlimited time off and he's flexible, but it's not paid. It was fine for the time being, but I'm looking elsewhere.
At my last job I worked 30 hours a week and received 2 weeks paid vacation, 5 sick days and if I needed more time I typically got it, but unpaid. My current job, I work 35 hours a week and receive NOTHING. My boss doesn't give anyone 40 hours so he doesn't have to offer benefits. I basically get unlimited time off and he's flexible, but it's not paid. It was fine for the time being, but I'm looking elsewhere.
Sounds like one of my high school teachers on Fridays: "You guys have been so good all week, I'm giving everyone two days off!"
But then the article says that 90 percent of American workers get paid vacation and holiday time. Every private company I have ever worked for, the past two decades, gave the workers paid vacation and holiday time. So what's the problem? Not guaranteeing something on paper doesn't mean it isn't going to happen.
Sure, only 40% of part timers may get such benefits, but they are part timers, not full time.
I currently get two weeks of paid time off, but that goes up after you serve a number of years, to an eventual max of five weeks. We also get paid holidays even if we don't work that day, and every year we also get the last week of December off, paid, as a company wide freebie holiday.
You have to look at the EU overall and compare it to America. I was only commenting on someone who brought up Spain. The EU has a 6.4% unemployment rate whereas America has 3.6%. Since 1995 roughly when the EU started its averaged close to 10% unemployment whereas America has averaged about 5.5%. Even after the 2008 meltdown we were never above 10%. You can blame vacation time, high taxes and the VAT or burdensome regulations for the shortcomings in the EU or the generous safety net that probably discourages looking for a job but the numbers do not lie.
You can point to whatever factors you choose for why their employment numbers are so bad but you can also look at their lagging GDP numbers or the fact it takes 200 million more people for the EU to equal our economic size. I blame the massive wealth redistribution that goes on in EU countries whereas you are penalized for being successful and rewarded for your lack of success stunts growth and hurts those they are trying to help.
I think they should be looking at our success and mirroring that not the other way around. Yes more people have longer vacations there but more people have jobs here.
Doesn't mean much when many of the jobs are lousy service oriented jobs, MW, etc. An "army" of people working at McDonalds and Walmart can create a lot of value... for the companies they work for, and their shareholders. But when they make so little that the government has to subsidize them with food stamps, that's not anything we should be bragging about.
You have to look at the EU overall and compare it to America. I was only commenting on someone who brought up Spain. The EU has a 6.4% unemployment rate whereas America has 3.6%. Since 1995 roughly when the EU started its averaged close to 10% unemployment whereas America has averaged about 5.5%. Even after the 2008 meltdown we were never above 10%. You can blame vacation time, high taxes and the VAT or burdensome regulations for the shortcomings in the EU or the generous safety net that probably discourages looking for a job but the numbers do not lie.
You can point to whatever factors you choose for why their employment numbers are so bad but you can also look at their lagging GDP numbers or the fact it takes 200 million more people for the EU to equal our economic size. I blame the massive wealth redistribution that goes on in EU countries whereas you are penalized for being successful and rewarded for your lack of success stunts growth and hurts those they are trying to help.
I think they should be looking at our success and mirroring that not the other way around. Yes more people have longer vacations there but more people have jobs here.
You're comparing EU countries that were dictatorships or/and part of the Soviet Union sphere of influence just a few decades ago with America.
Unemployment numbers are not comparable either though. More people fall thought the cracks in America because of the poor public safety net so will not be registered as unemployed simply because they havent looked for work in the past month. What share of the people is actually working?
America has had a low and declining labor force participation rate for a long time now.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
