How many days do you vacation each year?

[disneysteve]

My workplace has "mandatory" vacation days where if you don't use it, you lose it.

I think that's pretty common. My job is the same way. I can't accumulate vacation days. I get 4 weeks/year whether I use them or not.

Some places are starting to require employees to take their vacation days because every study ever done shows the benefits of taking periodic breaks from work. It's pretty sad that people need to be forced to take time off. You don't have to ask me twice. I take every day I possibly can.

[Outdoorsygal]

Most years it is 3 days, but some it can be 4-5 days. Every decade or so, it will be a week.


For the rest of my life it will likely be 4-5 days since i can never get that much time off in a row

[disneysteve]

For the rest of my life it will likely be 4-5 days since i can never get that much time off in a row

Maximum 2 days. I will not be able to take a longer duration trip due to my working nature.

This is really sad. I'm curious what type of work you each do that don't permit you to take more than a few days off at a time. America is so screwed up when it comes to vacation time. We could take some great lessons from some of our international friends.

[StormRichards]

A week at the beach each year. The remainder of our vacation time is usually split up throughout the year to give us 3 day weekends, but rarely does that involve overnight stays anywhere.

[Jluke]

This is really sad. I'm curious what type of work you each do that don't permit you to take more than a few days off at a time.

This is part of our problem too. My wife works in a doctor's office and she can never get more than 2 days off at a time AND she pretty much takes that time off when her doctor is out of office; not when it is convenient for us. She gets a whopping 8 days of vacation and her pay isn't that great either, but her employer has unreasonable expectations for the little that they pay her.

[disneysteve]

My wife works in a doctor's office and she can never get more than 2 days off at a time

I'm a doctor in a very small private practice but we still give our employees (all 3 of our full timers) a week off at a time. Yes, it creates some chaos when 1/3 of our staff is missing but everyone should have time away from work. It's really important to mental well being and productivity to prevent burn out.

[StormRichards]

This is part of our problem too. My wife works in a doctor's office and she can never get more than 2 days off at a time AND she pretty much takes that time off when her doctor is out of office; not when it is convenient for us. She gets a whopping 8 days of vacation and her pay isn't that great either, but her employer has unreasonable expectations for the little that they pay her.

Sounds like the situation my best friend is in. She will end up with an out of the blue Wednesday off because the doctor decides to take a vacation day and shuts down the office. Hasn't had a full week off at once since she started working there.

I wonder if that is common for most private practices.

[disneysteve]

I wonder if that is common for most private practices.

I've worked in numerous offices over the years, especially when I was training, and this was not the norm.

If your practice can't function with one person missing, you are understaffed.

[StormRichards]

I've worked in numerous offices over the years, especially when I was training, and this was not the norm.

If your practice can't function with one person missing, you are understaffed.

Glad to hear that hasn't been your experience.

She is looking for another job that isn't as strict with their vacation time, but needs something close to home.

I know I would lose my mind if I couldn't get a week's break from work at least once a year.

[Fishindude77]

When I was working full time, and company owner employees maxed out at 4 weeks plus holidays. We owners usually took 5-6 weeks.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

My DH used to get 4 weeks off plus the week between christmas and new years and then 4 floating holidays on top of 11 days of holidays. So we'd basically spend the month of December traveling. It was a use or lose it situation. And after 5 years he got his 1 month sabbatical which last year we used to move.

Now he gets 4 weeks of vacation. We're saving it for a trip next summer so no vacations until then. He also gets a sabbatical at the new company after 5 years.

[sv2007]

Actually, we take more than 15 as I forgot to add the paid holidays, so make that 27.

At one company, we had 5 weeks of PTO + 13 holidays; that was the highest I've experienced.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I don't think holidays count unless you are traveling. I just wanted to point out how much DH got. Ridiculous.

[disneysteve]

I don't think holidays count unless you are traveling.

For the intent of my question, yes, only count days when you actually travel. So Christmas Day wouldn't be "vacation" if you spend it at home with your family.

I wasn't asking how much time people get off from work. I was asking how much time people spend traveling.

[bigdaddybus]

For the intent of my question, yes, only count days when you actually travel. So Christmas Day wouldn't be "vacation" if you spend it at home with your family.

I wasn't asking how much time people get off from work. I was asking how much time people spend traveling.

Good point. Just realize some people consider a visit a vacation. I had a difficult conversation with my out of state parents on the topic as they felt my family "visits" were what my family wanted for a "vacation". It was awkward.

I get 30 days PTO each year, and unfortunately (by choice) I only vacationed 2 days this year, but I have taken 12 days for visits and work around the house.