Someone on CNN just said that people not taking all their vacation days is "shameful"

[RB TexLa]

Working hard is something that is now "shameful"? :wtf:

[DavidDvorkin]

1. That's not working hard

That's overworking. A system that puts that kind of pressure on its workers is indeed shameful.

[LostinVA]

6. BINGO

Even the Japanese don't do that anymore. WE'RE the only industrialized country that does, and who gives its workers such pitiful vacation time, even though it's proven that 4+ weeks of vacation a year makes workers happier and reduces (expensive) turnover.

[Horse with no Name]

21. Or in my case

My employer sends us home when the patient census drops so we have a choice to have a small paycheck OR lose our vacation.
I have lost my vacation.:(

[eleny]

2. I think it's shameful when people think they have to work on vacation time

[Beelzebud]

3. Yes we should be good little slaves and forgo our vacation time.

[RB TexLa]

4. Some people enjoy earning money more than spending it

I guess they should just be full of shame.

[BurtWorm]

7. In other words, what you're saying is, different people have different tastes.

Interesting.

:think:

[Beaverhausen]

13. Were they talking about paid vacation time?

if so, your point is way off. Why shouldn't people take the time off that they deserve? Employers should know by now they will have happier employees if they get a break from time to time.

[LostinVA]

16. That is what they were saying, I bet money on it

[Ilsa]

29. I suspect they don't even know what unpaid vacation time is. nt

[RB TexLa]

17. Many places will let you work and pay you for your unused vacation time

[Beaverhausen]

18. I have never heard of that

It's totally ridiculous. Anyone who thinks they are so indispensible that they can't take a few weeks off...needs a few weeks off!

[snooper2]

19. Not like that any more...

8 years ago I was able to do that, not now, it's (use it or lose it) now....

[RB TexLa]

24. My wife gets paid for her unused vacation days

It makes a nice additional bonus at the end of the year.

[LostinVA]

31. Do you go out drinking with friends with some of that?

[Lars39]

23. And many places will work you to death.

You have clearly never ever had a hard physical job where you were *required* to work 16 hour days for chickenshit or you don't have a job. No vacation,only layoffs without pay.
A job that supplies you with zero sick days and zero health insurance and if you are sick you have to pay to see the doctor and pay for your own prescriptions and lose a day's wages to do it.

[RB TexLa]

25. I'm self-employed. No one, but myself supplies me with anything.

[Lars39]

26. Well good for you, bootstrap.

[RB TexLa]

27. bootstrap? huh?

[LostinVA]

32. hehehe

[Bridget Burke]

36. Except for your wife's "nice little bonus" ....

Because she doesn't take her vacation time.

Of course, she might prefer working to vacationing--with you!

[RB TexLa]

40. That is her money, that has nothing to do with me.

[LostinVA]

30. No, they don't

I expect you may find a FEW places that do, but that's it. Some places, especially government employers, pay you for your unused vacation time when you leave their employ.

[RB TexLa]

35. maybe it is only a few of them, my wife's does

[k8conant]

5. Sad, but probably not shameful unless...

they try to play HoTTY (Holier Than Thou, Yeah!)

[Caoimhe]

8. Work to Live not Live to Work

People who never take time off are often ANNOYING to their coworkers. Whether they feel they need vacation or not, EVERYONE should take time off. It's called mental health.

[Sequoia]

15. Especially when they brag about it.

"I haven't had a vacation in three years. Look at me, I'm such a dedicated slave!"

"Darn, I have some vacation days or otherwise I'll lose it."

"Look, I know you're a lazy slob but I can't give you my vacation days so you can run off to the beach or go camping."

"Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

"You only have 4 hours worth of vacation left, so you'll have to work through the summer."

[Apollo11]

9. In Europe, 5 weeks paid vacation is the norm

I think it's the law in most European countries.

An average of 10 public holidays (like Christmas) - plus 25 days of annual leave.

This is all thanks to strong labor unions and progressive political movements!

The idea that workers should be expected to work every day except Sundays is kinda old-fashioned.

People consume more when they have more free time. It's actually good for the economy!

Plus ... All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy ;)

[havocmom]

10. It is shameful that workers are so afraid of lay-offs

or being hit by the avalanche backlog of work when they return.

So much effort made by greedy corporations to keep all workers insecure. People fear the company will see how they can get by without them if they take vacation or even stay home when ill.

So many places have cut personnel back so far that the backlog of work undoes any good getting away for a bit does workers.

Sadly, tired, oppressed workers do not come up with good solutions to challenges at work. The society suffers as a result.

[Warpy]

11. Getting a measly two weeks a year is shameful. Having to rely

so heavily on overtime pay that one can't afford to take even those stingy two weeks off is shameful.

The shame isn't on the workers. All the shame belongs to the people who own this country, keep wages to starvation levels, and try to substitute high interest debt for a living wage. The shame goes to the bosses. The shame goes to a government that refuses to stand up for the working public against their exploitation. The shame goes to political parties who will run only those candidates who have been vetted by the owners.

There is plenty of shame out there that should be applied. Not being free to take a decent amount of vacation time is the shame.

[bamacrat]

12. Imagine if we were like European countries..

That have mandatory 3 weeks of vacation each year. Might be less strung out and violent.

[unpossibles]

28. that is a great point!

maybe that is the real difference and one of the reasons we tend to be a very violent country. Well, one reason anyway.

[TahitiNut]

14. Good "management controls" would require people to take their vacations.

As an internal auditor for a couple of Fortune 50 corporations, I can state for certain that effective management controls include the requirement that people take some minimum amount of contiguous vacation time. There are two primary reasons for this: (1) individuals engaging in various kinds of illicit activity are often discovered when another individual takes over their duties for some period, and (2) all work and no play make Jack (and Jill) far less effective as employees.

[MsKandice01]

20. What vacation time???

I get 3 weeks paid time off per year. That includes sick time, personal days, etc. And I have a 4-year-old son who, when sick, I have to take time off work to take care of. That leaves me about a week per year of actual "vacation" time but that always seems go to stuff like doctor's appointments (for me and my son) and other things where I need to take a few hours here and a few hours there. I haven't actually taken a vacation in about 3 years and I have exactly one week of time on the books.

[LostinVA]

33. Oh quit complaining -- at least you're working hard and not being lazy

:sarcasm:

[MistressOverdone]

22. I honestly don't know how

folks work 50 weeks a year, 9-5. And yet most of you do.

I am so grateful, as a teacher, to have the summer off. Maybe I lose money, but life is short.

[gollygee]

34. What I remember is being told about vacation time during hiring

and then having trouble ever scheduling it because it was always a bad time.

[mdmc]

37. I agree. It is shameful. It is far from working hard

:kick:

[jeffrey_X]

38. working hard is for suckers....

seriously

[qdemn7]

No..

What's shameful is when people would rather be working than taking a vacation. As if their entire life revolves around their job. Correction, as if their entire life WAS their job.

[goodhue]

39. Pathetic is more like it

But I certainly agree with the sentiment that the trend toward Americans not using earned paid vacation is totally whack. What particually irritates me is when PTO policies are reevaluated in light of nonuse by others.

[Madspirit]

41. Happy Idiots

We have too many anally compulsive people in this society. People here have no idea how to relax. ...cogs in a wheel and obsessive about it. We are such a sick country with sick priorities. There are kids out there who barely even know their parents...


The Pretender...Jackson Browne

I'm going to be a happy idiot
And struggle for the legal tender
Where the ads take aim and lay their claim
To the heart and the soul of the spender
And believe in whatever may lie
In those things that money can buy
Though true love could have been a contender
Are you there?
Say a prayer for the Pretender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender

[MissB]

42. Sometimes it ends up costing more to take vacation days.

:(