Negative attitudes towards vacation

[Nika]

A friend posted that he got approved for 6 weeks leave and is going hiking for a good cause.
I am totally surprised by some of the responses he got -- and that's from his friends, not random dbags on the internet.

Comments like this:

Seriously, how does one simply take 6 weeks off of work? I assume they aren't paying you for this.

and others about tax dollars and killing America.

He works for the government. They start with 13 vacation days a year and after 3 years get 20. Than, after 15 years, 26 days. And can save up to 6 weeks. So the guy saved his vacation and is taking it. What is all this rage about? I don't work for the government and I get 6 weeks from first year. My mom works for a private hospital she gets more than that. Most of my friends have similar benefits.

None of us get bonuses of any kind. It is a trade off. You choose a business with a certain model and certain priorities. I never worked for a place that paid a bonus to anyone. I have friends that work on wall street and receive much higher salary and huge bonuses (but work in toxic environment and long hours. The business model is that they own you completely. OK if you are starting out, not so great if you want a balanced life and any time with your children and spouse.

In general, there seems to be a lot of negative attitudes towards the long vacation concept. Not just about government employees, private too.

Some of it is fear, along the lines of "if they can get by without me for 6 weeks, they don't need me". Well, no. You will cover for your colleagues when they take their leave, just as they covered for yours. And it is worth it.

I understand not taking a vacation in a crunch time when you are needed most, but penalizing someone for taking leave is the same thing as punishing them for taking their entire paycheck. It is a part of your compensation package, and it is that package that is your major consideration in seeking one job over the other.

[bjl584]

That reminds me of this story. This was published in the local paper this past weekend.

Most workers, lacking time or money, leave vacation days unused - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[disneysteve]

If he is taking time that is legitimately due to him, I've got no problem with that at all as long as it doesn't create a problem for his coworkers.

Much of the rest of the world takes a lot more vacation time than us. As you know, I'm a regular visitor to Disney World. We rent a house when we go there and many of the homes are owned by British folks. The reason for that is that when they take vacation - or holiday as they call it - they typically do so for 4 weeks or more so it is advantageous for them to own a property instead of staying in hotels for that long a time. Then they rent it out the rest of the year.

I took my first 2-week vacation in 2005 and it was fantastic. It was SO MUCH better than a 1-week vacation. Far more relaxing and enjoyable. We've continued to do it pretty much every year since. If I could take longer, I certainly would consider it.

[phantom]

If someone has accumulated 6 weeks of vacation and works for a place that doesn't have a policy in place against using all the time at once, I see no problem with taking 6 weeks off (even if it isn't for a good cause). I figure that when a company gives someone a contract that includes x weeks of vacation, the salary they offer is for 52-x weeks worth of work. To some extent it shouldn't matter if that time is taken all at once or not.

I will say that in most places I've worked, 6 weeks of vacation in a row would not go over well. But, I only know that because my employers have always made it clear that employees are not allowed to take more than one week of vacation at a time without special permission. As long as the employer clearly states that there is a limit on when vacation can be used, I don't have a problem with the limits either.

I've mostly worked for small companies where there is not a lot of overlap in roles, so it would be difficult to cover for someone who was out for a while. Obviously, this situation is not desirable because it is also makes things rough when people leave for good. But, it's something I'll accept from a small, growing company. At this point in my life, I can't say I really mind not getting multiple weeks of vacation in a row anyway.

In general, I figure that if you do enough work for someone to pay you enough to support your family, I don't care many weeks a year you have to work to earn that money. I do get a little annoyed when government employees get higher salaries and more time off than similar employees in the private sector. But, that's me being annoyed at the government for wasting money, not at the employee who went out and landed a job with a great compensation plan.

[Mjenn]

Here it is the opposite problem -- If you don't take at least 3 weeks in a row it is considered 'dangerous and bad for your health' particularly if you do not take it in the summer

I know I once postponed my summer vacation to go on a longer winter holiday and my FIL gave me a long lecture about how it would seriously dampen my ability to be productive, because I would just be too stressed in the fall.

But where I live, most unions have negotiated that all workers have the right to take at least 3 weeks in a row of summer vacation so pretty much everyone gets the same deal. But you don't HAVE to take it.

[Snodog]

^ Ahhh but that's not how things work in the "land of the free".

[Nika]

I do get a little annoyed when government employees get higher salaries and more time off than similar employees in the private sector. But, that's me being annoyed at the government for wasting money, not at the employee who went out and landed a job with a great compensation plan.

I think the perception that gov. pays more is based on interaction with lower level employees. For professional employees, gov. pay is consistently significantly LESS than the private sector and the benefits is a compensation for that. If they compensated even less, they would only attract the least competitive and least professional people out there.

I find the attitude that gov. employees should be as miserable and badly paid as possible for taxpayer money not to be wasted to be strange. Should the government not set an example of how employees should be treated? And don't we want better skilled and educated people competing for jobs that are done on our behalf?

What is a real waste of money, is battling the perception of public spending. You take a job that a gov. employee would have done for 80K, and pay a contractor 450K a year to do it, but that guy is "private sector" so it is all great. And it does not count. And a massive lobbying machine for corporations that make money hand over fist on taxpayers (the firm will give the contractor guy who actually does the job maybe 150K and pockets the rest just for securing the contract... and it is done on a huge scale) will make sure this will go on. That is a waste. But, the special interests would rather focus on a lowly clerk making 50K someplace as a place to cut waste. That guy does not have a lobbyist with deep pockets or gives large campaign contributions.

[reedda]

What's all the rage about? People are just jealous they don't have the same benefit, or in this case didn't think ahead to save up their vacation...just my opinion.

I heard similar things recently when I took my paid sabbatical (20 work days). This benefit is offered by my (non-government) company to employees after 10 years of service, in addition to vacation time. The sabbatical must be taken all at once, and can be used in conjunction with holidays and additional vacation time. It's not uncommon for someone to take 6-8 weeks off when they're eligible.

So, I took mine last summer and used some additional vacation days, and had about 5 weeks off. I heard a lot of sarcastic "must be nice" and all that, but I just responded, yes, it IS nice isn't it? I earned it.

[neatdesign]

If the OP and his friends/family lived in most other developed countries, they'd probably wonder why he wasn't taking MORE time off.

The Only Advanced Country Without a National Vacation Policy? It's the U.S.

[Like2Plan]

I'd say:
1. I'd like to know how he managed it.
2. (If I were still working), I'd like to work for his boss.

[siggy_freud]

Couple issues at play here.

1. People like use the "I haven't taken a vacation in X years" as some sort of badge of honor. I used to be that way. Worked nearly three years in a row with about two weeks of vacation total. Not any more. I'm so much more productive when I'm not overworked, and I think people should HAVE to take their vacation at some point. My new company encourages it.

2. It's easier for people to be jealous and complain than work towards the same goal. I doubt there is a soul complaining that would turn down the same opportunity if it was provided to them. My dad once said to me "you know, people complain at work all the time about how much I make, or that I get to come in late and leave early and the owners don't blink, but not once has ANYONE ever come up and asked how I do it." That said a lot to me. I've recently experienced something similar in that I'm 27, and making really good money for my age. Even friends sometimes scoff and think "wow, he's lucky" or "why does he get it and I don't", but you know, most of them have never simply asked "how can I do that too."

Just tells me people would rather take a dollar away from you, than work to earn a dollar more themselves.

[Harlem]

You deserve a summer vacation for at least 3 weeks a row. You will not have to take it, but you deserve it.

[DinoSaur]

Personally, I'm from the UK where the holiday allowances are, I believe, a lot more than they are in the US.

Depends on your audience.

[swapnil]

I some times wonder how can a man keep negative attitude towards holidays, I mean it is the pleasure to be with your family and friends on the day when you are off from your work and it gives much pleasure to you and refreshes your mind to work for another next 6 working days of the week, I just love holidays and always happy about having them because they give me time of my world to meet my dear friends and also some relatives and hangout with them to have fun.

[~bs]

jealousy.

Public or private, if you have the vacation time and can get something like that approved, why not? Normally the onlly time you can swing something like this is if you are a student or retired.