General Discussion

Sen. Walter Sobchak

(8,692 posts)

90. I work with a lot of European companies and they find their American employees just baffling

Fri Jan 9, 2015, 08:26 PM

Jan 2015

They don't find people foregoing vacations or working weekends extra-diligent, they just think it's pathetic. They regard them as losers or assume they're "having trouble at home" and avoiding the wife by staying at work.

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Why Are Americans So Afraid To Take Vacation? [View all] xchrom Jan 2015 OP

your 41% is the people who drive to work in blizzards... easychoice Jan 2015 #1

Many people are forced to come to work sick. DLevine Jan 2015 #3

Even if I stay home, I end up still working. MindPilot Jan 2015 #16

There are a lot of poorly educated 4yr.old managers out there. easychoice Jan 2015 #44

But you are constantly afraid that if ONE person makes it in, it makes you look like CTyankee Jan 2015 #46

++++++++ marions ghost Jan 2015 #61

AAAAAAMEN. When I retired I never looked back. I'm so happy Nay Jan 2015 #65

"Workers are being bullied, pure and simple." WhaTHellsgoingonhere Jan 2015 #78

I'm sure anxiety over money factors into it deutsey Jan 2015 #2

you don't get any vacation time in a lot of jobs. hobbit709 Jan 2015 #4

At 2-5k a wack vacations are expensive. ileus Jan 2015 #5

So stay home... brooklynite Jan 2015 #12

They can be, sure. But sometimes it's nice to just sit at home, being local, puttering underahedgerow Jan 2015 #18

you don't have to spend any money to take a vacation Skittles Jan 2015 #57

vacations are a first world thing Adam051188 Jan 2015 #6

and if you live in the first world it's a problem. nt xchrom Jan 2015 #8

do I? what's the definition of a first world country? Adam051188 Jan 2015 #9

i'll give you 3 guesses -- the first 2 don't count. nt xchrom Jan 2015 #24

Vacations came about in industrial societies, not necessarily in the "first world" however that's... Humanist_Activist Jan 2015 #43

your list is bogus. Adam051188 Jan 2015 #48

This message was self-deleted by its author Cal Carpenter Jan 2015 #62

With no union protection, some workers worry the employer B Calm Jan 2015 #7

I take mine regularly madville Jan 2015 #10

Your probably a better worker for it too yeoman6987 Jan 2015 #31

I drove to work in blizzards as that was my job newfie11 Jan 2015 #11

Early in my career ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2015 #13

I think the balance has been well studied and is the reason there is a typical 35 hour work week adirondacker Jan 2015 #20

Yep. If the company can't survive without you, it's a sole proprietorship. Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #45

And much to the dismay of many business owners ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2015 #49

And thrive even! Gormy Cuss Jan 2015 #50

Not enough people are working Recursion Jan 2015 #14

I don't take vacations because... meaculpa2011 Jan 2015 #15

I love my work and I'd rather be working tenderfoot Jan 2015 #36

I hate vacations too tabbycat31 Jan 2015 #73

This is one of the main reasons I won't move back to the USA. In France we get 1 month underahedgerow Jan 2015 #17

We're too materialistic is one answer TexasMommaWithAHat Jan 2015 #19

If you take a vacation Capt. Obvious Jan 2015 #21

Did you read the post immediately after yours? A bit ironic! ieoeja Jan 2015 #26

My daughter was in the same situation, retail job... PassingFair Jan 2015 #39

last job took week off came back to pink slip dembotoz Jan 2015 #22

Happened to me too. MindPilot Jan 2015 #54

Part-time, minimum wage jobs... Alkene Jan 2015 #23

I am very, very lucky and I know it - LibertyLover Jan 2015 #25

Not lucky but very privileged marions ghost Jan 2015 #64

Unlike the NYPD, most Americans don't want to show their employers Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jan 2015 #27

To Paraphrase The Clash... Javaman Jan 2015 #28

I'll bet that LWolf Jan 2015 #29

My wife and I always use all of our vacation time. Ace Rothstein Jan 2015 #30

Article answers its own question. 25% dont get paid vacation, thats the bulk of the 41% stevenleser Jan 2015 #32

THe older I get the less I want to take vacations Johonny Jan 2015 #33

why do people think they need to leave home when they are on vacation? Skittles Jan 2015 #59

There are people who work needledriver Jan 2015 #34

I am one of them, usually. alarimer Jan 2015 #82

Some of the responses to this is utterly depressing tenderfoot Jan 2015 #35

Tell me about it. What the hell are we ?? Ants?? BlueJazz Jan 2015 #53

I get two weeks a year. I cash in one week and save the other week for sick and emergency days. LanternWaste Jan 2015 #37

An old job allowed us 1 sick day/month, but if we used oftener than 3 months, were put on revie uppityperson Jan 2015 #38

I know this is just a small part of it, but Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #40

Who can afford it? SomethingFishy Jan 2015 #41

I get 22 days PTO plus 3 "diversity days"....... WillowTree Jan 2015 #42

"Imagine...?" What a bizarre sentence opening, for what is something innumerable people LIVE. WinkyDink Jan 2015 #47

Afraid? It's more like afford. Dont call me Shirley Jan 2015 #51

you don't have to spend any money to take vacation Skittles Jan 2015 #58

If one can't even afford to miss a day, yet alone a week of work, then a vacation becomes Dont call me Shirley Jan 2015 #63

are you referring to people who do not get paid vacation days Skittles Jan 2015 #68

A paid vacation should be the law. And paid sick days. And paid holidays. Dont call me Shirley Jan 2015 #69

oh absolutely Skittles Jan 2015 #71

Why would American employers be any better than our Congress? A slave-labor corporate valerief Jan 2015 #52

Quick answer...vacations are a shortcut to the unemployment line. MindPilot Jan 2015 #55

I forfeited five vacation days last year Skittles Jan 2015 #56

Because I can't get the time off workinclasszero Jan 2015 #60

A lot of people use their vacation time marions ghost Jan 2015 #66

Yup there you go workinclasszero Jan 2015 #67

I think that's true marions ghost Jan 2015 #70

Right. Who the **** has "disposable income" anymore? workinclasszero Jan 2015 #72

With ya on that marions ghost Jan 2015 #84

Maybe when the teabaggers force millions off SSI and food assistance and workinclasszero Jan 2015 #88

see ya marions ghost Jan 2015 #91

when i was working shanti Jan 2015 #74

My old supervisor wouldn't give me a weekend off (among other things) so I quit. His boss promoted me over him. Taitertots Jan 2015 #75

I take all my vacation and sick days upaloopa Jan 2015 #76

For the first time in my life I am a contract worker. No paid holidays/vacation/sickleave peacebird Jan 2015 #77

In the same boat. tenderfoot Jan 2015 #79

Interesting, what state? I doubt very much if Virginia has any protections for contract employees... peacebird Jan 2015 #80

California tenderfoot Jan 2015 #81

I don't get PTO, and can't afford to take unpaid days off unnecessarily Rhythm Jan 2015 #83

At my last job Bettie Jan 2015 #85

I am one of the lucky ones distantearlywarning Jan 2015 #86

Big "yes" to that shanti Jan 2015 #89

I would love to take a vacation....however Scruffy Rumbler Jan 2015 #87

I work with a lot of European companies and they find their American employees just baffling Sen. Walter Sobchak Jan 2015 #90

Obviously they don't understand marions ghost Jan 2015 #92

I can tell you why this American hasn't taken a vacation in 2014... MrMickeysMom Jan 2015 #93