As many people prepare to head on vacation or take time off to spend with family and friends, we thought it would be interesting to share how paid vacation days and holidays stack up in different countries:
Country Paid Vacation Paid Holidays Total __________
Austria 25 13 38Spain 22 12 34Italy 20 11 31France 30 1 31Germany 20 10 31New Zealand 20 10 31Ireland 20 9 29Australia 20 8 28UK 28 0 28Greece 20 6 26Denmark 25 0 25Sweden 25 0 25Canada 10 9 19Japan 10 0 10USA 0 0 0Sources: NYS Department of Labor (Aug 2016) and Center for Economic and Policy Research
Yes, you read that last line right. The US is the only developed country without laws requiring paid vacation or holidays, although most US employers do allow for this time. On a related note, this recent article in The Economist compared paid parental leave around the world and the US landed in the same spot -- no national-level paid leave at all.
Bottom line: If you're lucky enough to be enjoying some time off from work this holiday season, enjoy it, reflect on the importance of work-life balance, and remember that things are not necessarily the same all around the world!
