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america, why the no vacation?

brianmanahan

brianmanahan

Lifer
my friend just got a new job. pay is decent, but the guy in charge doesnt like taking vacations so he doesnt give any vacation time to his employees. 😵 other than federal holidays, you have to work every day. he says he might allow a week off every few years if they get low enough on work.

and then i look on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statutory_minimum_employment_leave_by_country

and see that even iran gets 4 weeks? iran? 4 weeks? for serious?

why cant we just get even a little amount of vacation required by law?
 
You'll hear "because it would tank our economy!" Just like having child labor laws, equal pay for women laws, basic pollution controls, and food safety laws caused the collapse of American economy!

In reality, it's because America is owned by the tiny clique of CEOs and Americans are all too willing to give up hard-won labor rights in exchange for platitudes about keeping gays from marrying.
 
brianmanahan said:
my friend just got a new job. pay is decent, but the guy in charge doesnt like taking vacations so he doesnt give any vacation time to his employees. 😵 other than federal holidays, you have to work every day. he says he might allow a week off every few years if they get low enough on work.

and then i look on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statutory_minimum_employment_leave_by_country

and see that even iran gets 4 weeks? iran? 4 weeks? for serious?

why cant we just get even a little amount of vacation required by law?
Click to expand...

Why should the government dictate how a business is run.

They interfere enough with other regulations and paperwork.

Vacation is a benefit that the company provides to the employee
 
brianmanahan said:
my friend just got a new job. pay is decent, but the guy in charge doesnt like taking vacations so he doesnt give any vacation time to his employees. 😵 other than federal holidays, you have to work every day. he says he might allow a week off every few years if they get low enough on work.

and then i look on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statutory_minimum_employment_leave_by_country

and see that even iran gets 4 weeks? iran? 4 weeks? for serious?

why cant we just get even a little amount of vacation required by law?
Click to expand...

Federal holidays aren't even mandatory holidays. The boss CAN make you work those days without any extra compensation if he chooses.
 
EagleKeeper said:
Why should the government dictate how a business is run.
Click to expand...

because i believe everybody should be able to get a little time off. it is healthy and relaxing and life-improving, and there are many types of positions where typically there is no chance of getting a vacation.

also i believe that questions should be asked in the form of a question.
 
This is part of the reasons the US is the greatest place on earth to start a business.
If you can't make a go of your business in the US, don't bother trying anywhere else.
 
As you can see by the posts in this thread, vacations or time off is looked down upon in this country. We have been made to feel guilty for taking time off for ourselves and we are currently being made to feel guilty taking advantage of our social safety nets. Worker productivity has steadily risen while income has been flat while corporate profits have steadily risen and yet we are expected to take it or leave it, we have privatized profits why socialized losses and have let a system be created that has weakened worker influence in the so called free market.

The sad thing is that most people aren't even aware of it and parrot the very things that continue to marginalize workers. People don't even realize that other countries have better quality of life ratings, because they are so brainwashed into believing profits should come before people.
 
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Bears from the top of my Father's shoulders, looking up at the largest tree on earth holding his hand. All those moments on vacation will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time for the last of us humans to die replaced by heartless batteries.
 
Moonbeam said:
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Bears from the top of my Father's shoulders, looking up at the largest tree on earth holding his hand. All those moments on vacation will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time for the last of us humans to die replaced by heartless batteries.
Click to expand...

crying_indian-op.jpg
 
brianmanahan said:
my friend just got a new job. pay is decent, but the guy in charge doesnt like taking vacations so he doesnt give any vacation time to his employees. 😵 other than federal holidays, you have to work every day. he says he might allow a week off every few years if they get low enough on work.

and then i look on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_statutory_minimum_employment_leave_by_country

and see that even iran gets 4 weeks? iran? 4 weeks? for serious?

why cant we just get even a little amount of vacation required by law?
Click to expand...

This is why I always ask about vacation up front, and have negotiated for more up front at my last two employers. I make enough, that vacation is way more important to me than a little more salary.
 
HeXen said:
i hate, hate taking vacations or vacation time off.
Click to expand...

lol what?

weird

i love it, would love to have time to do stuff that i really want to do:

- get in shape enough to eventually bike across the country
- take a month trip to europe
- maybe hike part of the apalachian trail

even where im at, it is too hard to get the OK to take more than 1 week at a time off

(unless you are from a foreign country originally and want to visit family, then they are all fine with it)
 
ivwshane said:
As you can see by the posts in this thread, vacations or time off is looked down upon in this country. We have been made to feel guilty for taking time off for ourselves and we are currently being made to feel guilty taking advantage of our social safety nets. Worker productivity has steadily risen while income has been flat while corporate profits have steadily risen and yet we are expected to take it or leave it, we have privatized profits why socialized losses and have let a system be created that has weakened worker influence in the so called free market.

The sad thing is that most people aren't even aware of it and parrot the very things that continue to marginalize workers. People don't even realize that other countries have better quality of life ratings, because they are so brainwashed into believing profits should come before people.
Click to expand...

pretty much this

this thread is definitely evident of such a mindset, i didnt realize it was so prevalent
 
Because people want more money and also lack the assertiveness to take charge of their employment and/or laws in the US are weaker for employees than in other countries (mainly this last part is my suspicion), so they just have to suck it up.

Of course what we in the US fail to heed is Biggie Smalls' advice about money and problems, and to our own detriment.
 
I love taking my vacations. I took 2 week long trip last year, and a month off the year before that. My job allows for such flexibility, but I still would never feel bad about taking time off that you've earned.
 
brianmanahan said:
pretty much this

this thread is definitely evident of such a mindset, i didnt realize it was so prevalent
Click to expand...
I work with some Europeans and we often at work joke about how they are never there, always out when the clock hits 4:00, "yep, they're on another vacation". Honestly, I think some of them really do put work on too much of a back burner, and I've heard horror stories about people allowing a critical production system that is down to sit idle because their work day was over and weekend is starting.

On the other side, you bet your ass i'm out of my work every day at 5:00. Another job I had basically required employees to work more than 40 hours and I always avoided that. I'm just not paid for it. I know people who regularly work 50+ hours/week despite being paid for 40 and I am just glad that the culture at my company isn't like that. We are genuinely not expected to work more than 40 and few of us do. A lot of company cultures look down on those working the scheduled hours. There are exceptions. If I'm needed for something that is critical there are no questions asked and I'll put in the after-hours, but it happens infrequently.
 
tell him to stop working at mcdonalds

seriously, company can set whatever policy it wants. if it can't find or keep quality people, they'll eventually change their policy or disapear.
 
I had to work 7 years to get 3 weeks and 15 years to get 4 where I work. Now new hires get 3 weeks and after 10 years to get 4 weeks. I'm waiting until I get 5 weeks late next year that the company will lower the years of service required from 25 to 20 years.

I've never had an issue taking my vacation when I wanted.
 
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