this post was submitted on 01 Jan 2025
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79% of Americans feel burned out as they put most vacation time toward errands, doctor visits, and family care (fortune.com)
submitted 1 week ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world
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[–] UpperBroccoli@lemmy.blahaj.zone 97 points 6 days ago (3 children)

European here.

Lately at my work, we are actually being asked to submit a vacation plan for the next year at the end of the previous year. I basically had to sit down with my significant other and plan out exactly when we would take time off. My work demands this (and to a lesser degree, hers too) because people apparently have issues with using up their vacation days in the year they are valid for, and that is a real problem for the company, even a legal one. Theoretically, if there is a lot of work, and vacation time is not possible, the company could agree to not let the vacation days expire, but that means they have to put money on the side in case they have to pay out the vacation days, which is a lot of money uselessly bound that cannot be spent.

So yeah, 30 days every year, and when we're sick, we're sick. Some people take a vacation day to see a doctor, but most people just try to do that in the early morning or in the evening and maybe take some overtime hours for that.

I am not telling you this to gloat. I am telling you this to let you know your bosses are taking you for a ride. Demand more, demand better. If that doesn't work, there's always

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 29 points 6 days ago (1 children)

As a European, you should remember that it took 15 years to go from the guillotine to crowning Napoleon emperor with similar powers to the late king.

I agree- demand more, demand better. But don't expect to solve your problems with a guillotine. It takes a hell of a lot more than that.

[–] Enkrod@feddit.org 14 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

True, but sometimes it's good to remind the bourgeoise that they should be scared if the mistreatment of the working class grows unacceptable to the latter, with no way to change things from within the system.

[–] myplacedk@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

I'm in Denmark, if I need to go to the doctor, dentist etc during working hours, it is usually counted as sick leave. This means full pay and no deduction in vacation time, and here we don't run out of sick leave.

Although we do have a dury to try doing it outside office hours.

[–] whotookkarl@lemmy.world 39 points 6 days ago (2 children)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taft-Hartley_Act

Bullshit law from 1947 that outlaws solidarity between unions. It's legalized criminality. It's why I think it's important UAW are lining all their contacts up for May 1st, 2028 and encouraging other unions to do the same.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 7 points 5 days ago

Among the practices prohibited by the Taft–Hartley act are jurisdictional strikes, wildcat strikes, solidarity or political strikes, secondary boycotts, secondary and mass picketing, closed shops, and monetary donations by unions to federal political campaigns.

Isn't that what the police unions do all the time?

[–] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 7 points 6 days ago

I bring this up every time someone says they're in favor of deregulation. Most of the time they actually aren't.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 26 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

US Labor Laws suck shit compared to the 1st World EU countries. Whenever my German colleagues complained about stress, I always said, " work in the USA and you will return screaming."

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 34 points 6 days ago (5 children)

I get 11 PTO days this year. That includes sick days and vacation days. I love my job and company, but the time off sucks. I can go over that if I need to take care of myself, but it still sucks

[–] SeaJ@lemm.ee 12 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Ouch. I give my nanny more time off than that. You may love your job and company but just remember that they do not care about you or your coworkers.

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago (3 children)

I mean, they pay for our health insurance, give hefty bonuses each quarter, and seem to genuinely care. The company is only 13 people, though, so we can't really handle being down people all the time. Like I get their reasoning, and I can take more time off than that, but it'll just be unpaid and people may get a lil pissed.

[–] optissima@lemmy.ml 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I hate to point this out but if they can afford hefty bonuses for you, the owner is pocketing the full income of the additional 14th employee that should be there for coverage.

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I mean that's obvious. That's just how company owners are. This company respects me more than any other place I've worked. I got a 12% raise last year and honestly don't think I deserved it. My really good health/dental/eye insurance is paid for by the company, as well as some life insurance and accident insurance. I'm treated exceptionally well, can work from home if I need to, I'm inspired to grow and learn, and I feel genuinely appreciated. I focus on the good things instead of the obvious capitalistic greed because it'd wreck me emotionally if I didn't, ya know? I honestly love my company and I hope it does become toxic as it grows.

[–] optissima@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

You missed my point. The company really can handle people being down a person all the time, there is enough budget for that, they are choosing not to. I don't mean to say you should hate your job, in fact im glad there are lucky few that do. That being said, you continuously list the most basic requirements for living as if they're doing something truly special for you (Insurance), or what is essentially a 5% raise + adjusting for the 7% inflation that happened throughout the year. I'm glad you're in a position to only look at the positive things, but the positives are WfH (again, a basic right), learn and grow, and feel appreciated. And remember, you only need to convince 5 others to unionize for actual PtO.

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

Ohhh I see. I mean, I never expect basic shit out of employers because work in the US fucking sucks. As for the short staffed budget thing, I don't really know how to respond. You're totally right, and I can only hope for that aspect to change.

[–] skeezix@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

You mean that?

[–] myplacedk@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Meanwhile, here in Denmark any manager I've ever had insists that I take sick day when I'm sick. Not for my sake, for the company.

And i have virtually unlimited sick days, I don't loose any money or vacation days by taking sick leave.

Also, if the place is understaffed because just one person is on sick leave, that's a management decision. Why would anyone who cares about you, be pissed at you for acting sick while being sick...

[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

I mean they don't get actually pissed, it just inconveniences others but they understand that people get sick. I try to just work from home if I can if I'm sick. We plan on hiring more people when we move to our bigger office in the spring, so hopefully we won't be short staffed again.

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[–] hmancuso@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

Can you believe it? In the richest country in the world, people are forced to use their hard-earned vacation days just to see a doctor. It's like a bad joke, but it's the reality for so many hardworking Americans. There's something seriously messed up with the way we've set up our system. It's supposed to be the land of opportunity, but it feels more like the land of "fend for yourself." Sure, if you're a billionaire, life is pretty sweet. But for the rest of us? We're left wondering if this is really what the American Dream is supposed to look like. It's time we take a long, hard look at what we value as a society and start putting people first. Because at the end of the day, no one should have to choose between their health and a much-needed break from the daily grind.

[–] atempuser23@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)
[–] myplacedk@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

This is one of the basic problems - mixing sick leave an vacation.

This thing where you have a certain number of sick days to spend, it often ends up as another kind of vacation. And then when you are out of sick leave, your vacation leave is just another kind of sick leave.

Here in Denmark, there's virtually unlimited sick leave. If you're sick, you take a leave with full pay. No "max 14 days of paid sick leave". If you need to go to the doctor and you can't do it outside working hours, it's sick leave.

Then your vacation leave is for vacation. And sometimes errands, but with 25-30 days per year, there should be time for both.

[–] Chozo@fedia.io 19 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I have plenty of vacation time. I could take over a month off of work right now if I wanted to, and still have enough left to cover any sick days.

The problem is that I work a night shift, which comes with a pay differential at my job. But that differential doesn't get paid out when I use vacation time. So if I take any time off work, my paycheck that week is significantly lower. Which is the reason I have over a month's worth of vacation hours, because using them means getting paid less so I never end up taking any time off. It's a fucking trap that I can't get out of and it's been driving me insane. I Just need some time off, but I also need to pay the rent.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 10 points 6 days ago

There's always crime! Working the night shift brings all sorts of possibilities!

[–] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

So you have vacation time, but not paid time off?

[–] bingrazer@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I believe they’re saying that they have paid time off, but it’s paid at the rate for day shift workers. Since they always work night shift (which has a pay bump) that means the paid time off pays less than they normally get.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago

I also interpreted it as you said, and also how the other commenter did.

Where I live, you get vacation pay based on your work pay. To me, if my vacation pay weren't based on my work pay, it wouldn't really be vacation pay to me.

[–] skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

All my vacation time I took this last year went to sickness, death, post-death assistance, and I took the last two weeks off to try and fix things around home that have been broken the entire year, and I felt guilty about all of it. USA! USA!

[–] TwinTusks@bitforged.space 10 points 6 days ago

... you guys have vocation times?

[–] feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

English, same.

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