By Fareed Zakaria, CNN
These are the dog days of summer, and in this hot, sweltering weather most Americans are busy working. (I know, I know, not you folks in the Hamptons.) Meanwhile, most Europeans are busy vacationing. Thus it has ever been - only it's getting worse.
Nowadays the average European gets about three times as many days of paid vacation as his counterpart in America.
Why do we do this to ourselves?
The conventional answer is that this attitude toward work makes the American economy the envy of the world. America has a hectic, turbo-charged system that builds, destroys and rebuilds, all at warp speed. It's what created the information revolution, Silicon Valley, hedge funds, biotechnology, nanotechnology and so on. And there's no time in it for lolling on the beach!
In fact, it's not clear at all that working for a few extra weeks in the summer is what makes a nation's economy hum. The consulting firm Ipsos gives us numbers on the percentage of paid vacation days that were used up by the end of the year. The French predictably lead the pack, taking 89% of their vacations days. But Germany, which is growing briskly, takes 75%. Indonesia, which has been booming, takes 70%. And the U.S. - just 57% - and it has fewer paid vacation days than almost all major countries. But even with those 13 days off, only 57 percent of Americans take them all. To remind you again, 89% of the French use all of their days off.
If you're worried that working less will mean America lags behind: Don't worry. America's growth historically has been fueled mostly by investment, education, productivity, innovation and immigration. The one thing that doesn't seem to have anything to do with America's new growth is a brutal work schedule. After all, we were working hard during the slow years of the 1970s as well.
In fact, some experts believe that working harder might actually depress productivity numbers because the additional hours worked rarely generate strong output. (We're not as productive at 8 p.m. as at 9 a.m.)
So take a break, go to the beach, read a book, watch TV or surf the web. Wait a minute, you are surfing the web - so well done.
For more of my thoughts throughout the week, I invite you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter and to visit the Global Public Square every day. Also, for more of my takes, click here.
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As the level of TV reporting declines to depths heretofore never dreamed of, the degree of thoughtfulness and insights put forth by Mr Zakaria and company become more necessary and and appreciated.
Thank you for the artistry, intelligence and unique reporting.
Bill Bartlett
Yes, agreed. Most, if we take a vacation will find a pink slip when we return. So from one perspective it might help the economy in that the person who has been out of work will now have your job, and you will be out on the street. When will people understand the preasures and struggles that people who work in this country face. Idoits!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was agree with you jack ass!
The only one here that needs permanent vacations is Fareed. He should go and visit Europe to help them, now that the economic crisis is hitting Europe worse than USA.
Hi, Duque Duke, you're right, Fareed should go to Europe and knock some sense into the heads of those lazy bones in Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal etc. that they should work more, longer und take less vacation! This way, their countries will see more growth!
There are over 30 separate economies in Europe. FIve of them (Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Italy) are doing worse than the USA. That doesn't prove that the US economy is better than Europe.
Not mad at all. No reason to get angry when I am talking to a half wit, just like to throw insults thats all
This would be better when its not around labor day...
I KNOW!!!! I literally working here, take a break to check CNN, and BAM... right in the face "you work too much". PLEASE tell my bosses that, trust me I know... But if I don't do my job some guy with ::checks the article:: 37 days PTO gets my job. How does this make any sense what so ever... I want more vacation, I wouldn't use it, but it would be nice to have when I really need it. Heck, lets talk policy, I want roll-over vacation.
Apparently you must have no job because you seem awfully bored with your life if you feel you need to start fights on here.
I understand alot of people have jobs... well i dont im 17 years old and need money to do things like 17 year old kids do and i want to have money for college but in the real worl kids cant me kids anymore alot of parents can pay for kids things such as toys,cars,vacations,tv,computer,X-box,games,health care if the kids get sick schooling that they wants their kids to have and soo on. I understand kids dont need all that but they could have some like ea you dont need games or a car nut thats jst they way this country works now it a bummer but hopefuly this can chage our country and things
Your intelect is amazing. you took a hole 5 minutes to think of that come back. I am sure your head hurts now...go take a seat and let people who know something talk.
Your spelling skills are amazing. Where did you go to school, Mongolia? Stop berating (look it up) other people and look at how stupid and ignorant your posts are.
Sounds like somebody needs to be dragged back out to the cotton fields and put back to work. Hey moon cricket, go back to your red kool-aid and watermelon and leave the discussions for people who have a brain and don't sponge off the system. Better yet, take the first boat back to Africa.
Are you in middle school? B/c i have heard better retorts on middle school playgrounds
much agreed!
Agreed. Mr Bill is very much a moron
We are a country of greed. We don't allow time off for birth of children cause it cost money. This country is all about money.
We are very cheap about vacations. Thirty years ago we had only two weeks. Then they changed it to three. It was hard enough to et time off for family problems without pay. Many other countries give more generous benefits for time off.
We are not a generous country. We work for companies hard and in the end we get thrown out. It's a win win for them. They know you're afraid of losing a job by working hard but in the end they lay you off. It has happen to many people here. There is loyalty to any company anymore. We are not even a number. At least we were one. Nw that has been removed.
Shameequa, you're setting your people back to the 50's with your ignorant comments... with a name like "Shameequa", you have a lot of catching up to do.
p.s. Bum'quita is only an alias, go ahead and make lame jokes about it
Right! Take a vacation, even when you reserve a block for a vacation and make plane reservations they come and say somebody else is in the hospital, or we don't have anyone to work that week, be there or don't bother to come back. The other problem is nobodies had a raise in several years, and others took pay cuts. So you want us to put it all on the credit card??
The whole point of liberal types like Shameequa is to pull the country of the original topic, which is to say that the country and her president have failed drastically at. Thus they use short "dumb" responses try and change the subject when it is her and her president's policies who have fail...obviously otherwise she would have a job instead of welfare.
Your welcome...while you continue to collect your welfare off of the backs of the hard working american people. Have you no shame oh wait I forgot it is generational.
I can't believe you all let Shameequa troll you guys so hard. It's probably some pre-teen who used the name Shameequa to race bait you guys. Sad that some of you fell for it. Oh well!
Shameequa seems way more literate than the usual pre-teen. Too bad it uses its considerable skills to annoy pointlessly (at least annoying cleverly would be more fun to watch). But, it may grow into that.
Shameequa sounds more like a tranny's name...lol
Go ahead take your time, I will give it to you so you can look up the meaning of generational.
Ah, see there you go...always thinking that someone is using race against you. Craziness. I was thinking you were from WV or LA because of your lack of inteligence. How funny. Normally individuals of your callibler are thrown in the waste basket because they do not have skills enough in the line of work I do. However, alas I grow weary of your low level conversation. I leave you to stew in self pity over race and class warfare, because in American we are all equal except in your eyes.
"Most, if we take a vacation will find a pink slip when we return."
What kind of crappy job are you working at where they'll fire you if you take your vacation days? Good riddance to a job like that. That can't be a healthy work environment.
@Bobby
The spelling is idiots, not idoits. I recommend that you fire your secretary unless you have a relationship with her. If the latter, maybe she needs to work extra hours "under" very close supervision.
Shameequa, Billy and Bob just need to learn to deal with the fact that they deeply love each other. Do what you three have been longing to do since you met via these posts and go feel each other up on the couch. Shaahwam probably has a very large couch considering it doubles as his bed and table (with a name like that he is definitely poor), so that's a good starting point
Many of the nasty comments here are written by people who are trying to blow off steam because they are overworked. I really think its important to recognize that this energy can be sublimated to in more positive, useful, and productive ways. I agree with this article and I feel that productivity, health, and happiness would be easier to achieve if we were all able to take more time off.
I too am over worked. I have spent the last 40 years working in the nuclear industry. Work is what made America great, going on vacation is for sissies.
How about working to place Obama in the unemployment line.
Duuuuh! Too many Americans have too much time off now because they can't find jobs. Oh, I get it, gang, Fareed is offering to foot the bill so the "underworked" Americans can have a vacation...which will ultimately help out America! Fareed, you expect sensitivity toward your race (and I am not racist), but you need more sensitivity toward unemployed Americans who cannot afford vacations and other luxuries. Geesh! Does this really have to be said?
He's a grownup and he can take care of himself–what does he get paid for, if not to read the occasional angry comment? It sure as hell isn't for his brilliant insights into the American economy.
And since it's worth about a week at the beach: you schmuck, have you never heard of speedup? Can you not read the headlines? The reason Americans aren't taking vacations is because their workloads have increased, and because they're all afraid of getting laid off. They don't need to be told that a weekend off would vastly improve their morale. They know that there's life outside of the cubicle. They know that their employers see them as disposable. They need more respect and better terms. If you can't figure that out by yourself, you have no business selling your opinion.
Sound like you all need a vacation! But some of you have the most boring lives anyway so work yourselves to death.
Additionally, think of all the money spent on travel and toursim. Vacations and leisure travel generate economic activity in ways most people don't consider...
just barely making my mortgage payments, paying bills and keeping my 2 year old two year old twins fed....I only wish I could take a vacation. many thanks to our politicians for killing any hope I had for the american dream. I can only pray that things will get better by the time my children are grown.
Oh pllllease. Yea it's politicians faults u got a mortgage u can't afford or that u had kids earlier then u should of. And definitely politicians fault ur job don't give paid vacations..honestly how can people sit there and blame the government and the recession for them being broke makes me laugh. I struggle my ass off to get by but I kno damn well it's my own fault and not that of the government or the state of the economy.
You know simply having a roof over your head and a mortgage was the American dream. We have become spoiled and expect a BMW in every garage and a 4 bedroom home in a expecive neighborhood. Reality is, you should be happy to have a house and money to pay for the basics. Thats means you are suceeding in this life. The rest is simply fluff and it should be the exception not the rule.
Agreed. I love it how some elitists like to blame middle America for all the mistakes of the economy crisis...and live in a bubble where nothing can hurt them and be so detached and disassociated with reality of the working class. .when most of the middle America was working it but off just to keep there job because if you do get laid off – chances are you wont find a job for over a year..those of you who act like there are enough jobs to go around – you are the elites few who are so far detached from real America you have no IDEA what it is really like standing in line of HUNDREDS of People just to receive meager food assistance or unemployment..
No kidding. Maybe Fareed is stressed out and overworked, but there are plenty of Americans who do not even have jobs (or at least decent ones)....and they should take a vacation to help out America? Live in the real world for a while, Fareed.
OK......AND SO ..... FAREED IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE "DOUBLE DIP"........HE WANTS TO SEE THE "TRIPLE DIP" IN RECESSION.... I GUESS... WE WILL GO FOR IT ... WE HAVE BEEN SEEING THIS SINCE 2008.... WHY NOT FOR SOME MORE TIME....
Hate to break it to you, but you're ALL morons. What's more, after this thread there is solid proof!
Come on Shameequa. That sounds like some kind of fruit I wouldn't want to eat. Rotten fruit. The truth is that most Americans are struggling right now just to get by. How in the heck are we supposed to take a vacation when most businesses don't even allow their employees to take vacation let alone pay them while they are on vacation? So yeah. So it's like telling a bunch of people who need a vacation that they should take one even though they can't. So thanks for rubbing it in our faces. LMAO.
You are the moran. This article is a slam – or haven't you heard that there are a lot of people unemployed. When one is unemployed, there is no time for vacation!
Really? The Fattest?
anyone with the name Shameequa has no room to call anyone a moron. What is your education level Shameequa??? haha.
America is def. one of the most overworked countries in the world. China is led by communism so of course they probably work the same and have less freedoms..but hey! That is where all our jobs went so at least they got jobs in China thanks to American CEO's that thought that they would make a quicker buck for their wallets..
Are you kidding me? An article saying "hey America, take more time off work" counts as good journalism?
This is unequivocally the stupidest flippin' nation on earth.
Bill Bartlett. alias Fareed Zakaria
Actually he has a very good point there. I have tested that with my people and found productivity increased. Innovation went up. Now they get tasks by workload, others can stand in for another and decide which days they want to work from home. I think America's economy miss out large because lack of tourism. Unfriendly to be welcomed in, and so on...
Work smarter, not harder. There is a bad habit of hire and fire, no wonder the economy is south. Those that give out pink slips so fast, but they are also eagerly so fast to outsource work? What is their loyalty?
Shameequa is just a shill, we all know the best way to cloud an issue is to fight about it, that's what he wants, ignore him. I'm leaving so I wont, don't care about responses.
Bobby and Shameequa provided much needed comic relief to the topic at hand. Everything I read from Fahreed has a bend to it that mirrors what has taken place in Europe. State-run social programs fund vacations and Europeans enjoy–and now essentially demand their time off. Yes, Europeans get more vacations but who pays for it and how long will that gravy train last? Looking at what's taking place in Greece, my guess is not much longer. Vacations would be nice but with fuel prices on the rise–and people demanding we turn to more "green" ways to travel–how can we really afford to go anywhere?
Obama and The Left Wing (CNN) are so out of touch with America that is starting to become entertaining. In order to take a vaction people need income 1 out of every 10 people are not working. We are worse off now then when Jimmy Carter was president. Maybe if they had to make a choice between Groceries and paying a Utility Bill they would better understand the current State of the Union, If you want to call it that anymore.
My sentiments exactly Bill. Fareed Zakaria lays it out clearly and straightforward with no designs to boost ratings or create scandal but to help us digest and make sense of some pretty impalatable truths. I keep my sanity with Fareed on Sunday, and weeknights with Stewart and Colbert, who help me see the news as a laughing matter. These 3 and prayer have kept me somewhat sane.
Shameequa, I don't know what your anger stems from but let's try for civility OK? Bill expressed an opinion, and we value his and yours. Everyone should be allowed to express themselves. It's really OK. Maybe you need a vacation day!
Get a life...no one cares to hear your dribble!
The reason why most americans dont take all their vacation is because they either get so little that they try their best to 'carry over' vacation to the next year in the hopes of having a humane amount then.. or they dont take it, because they will be rewarded it in cash when they are laid off due to cutbacks when their jobs move overseas.
The last part shows classic Fareed humor. It's not overwhelming, but it's kind of clever.
Great take to end the summer, however ironic it may be.
They have been for the last 2 years; it is called unemployment
Let me guess..you're a republican?
If the goverment mandated more vacation days it might actually lead to less unemployment. Seems somewhat silly with so little mandated time off while nearly 10% are unemployed.
Government mandated vacation? Must be thinking of someplace civilized like Sweden or Norway.
oh no another one of you. another tool who thinks all unemployed are just sitting around. shame on you
I really really really hope u lose ur job and ur company finds a way to weasel out of paying un employment like what happened to me so u can go 8 months without a check and see how fun it is to go job huntin when u can't buy detergent to wash clothes to interview in..
This story kind of cracks me up. When I read posts in other stories, Europeans are CONSTANTLY bashing Americans, saying how we suck, how lazy we are, how greedy we are. And, now, we have Europeans telling us to stop working and be lazy, and not actually earn the stuff we want. /smh
I think the Europeans forgot to mention "brainwashed" we are.
You forgot ignorant, but considering your remark, that would perhaps be redundant.
Thank you so much for conflating vacations with laziness. You are a credit to your corporate overlords.
Not sure you have the right impression of Europeans. As an American, living in Europe for 15 years what you are referring to is physically lazy. Most Americans dont like to walk, take the stair, be too hot or be too cold, etc, etc. Its why our average weight is much higher than any Western European country. Thats what Europeans think and its for the most part its true.
From an office/factory perspective – no one in Europe thinks Americans are the lazy. Everyone thinks we work the longest hours, with the least benefit support, the least holidays, a much lower age to fully join the workforce, a much higher age to retire, a much longer commute, much shorter leaves for childbirth for woman and none usually for men. People in Europe think we work crazy hard and many actually say we need to be more like the Americans – but not without August holidays.
One other reason working people in US don't take vacations, they use the time for recovering from medical procedures. Two of my friends had their gall bladders out and they wanted them to return to work the same week.
You should compare the death rates from obesity in Europe and America before you say they are right about how "fat" Americans are. The common conception that America is fatter or more overweight than Europe is largely incorrect. In this same way the idea that British people have bad teeth is false.
In WWII Hitler thought that we Americans would be a pushover but we showed him.
Taking vacation is not being lazy. Its a perk. I get 5 weeks of vacation every year...and I take it every year.
Earn the stuff we want? Like vacations? Bottom line is that you need to stop and smell the roses sometimes, and there is never a perfect time to go on vacation. You just have to do it once in a while, before your kids grow up or you are too old to enjoy it. Memories last a lifetime. Objects dull very quickly, and have little meaning in the grand scheme of things. Ridicule all you want, but you have been given great advice. Years down the road, you will realize this.
Only the rich (who pay no taxes) get vacations anymore. The middle and lower classes are just struggling to survive and with each passing day we fall further and further behind.
well said, not to mention it is the employers who dont give the day off... i.e. the rich
We had two weeks given, but are not-too-subtly threatened to be fired for falling behind if we do take any days... after all, some other overworked slob has to pick up the slack while you are gone. Never mind my boss took off for about a week every six weeks... I had to be there to pick up an extra load for him.
what? The rich pay no taxes? Try the top 5% pay over 80% of all taxes collected by the government. Try educating yourself before posting such false statements. Also, I am firmly lower middle class and we always make a point to take a one week vacation each year at the beach. It's all about planning.
Yes the rich do pay most of the taxes in this country. This is true; however, the middle and lower classes are the ones who are killing themselves to keep the job that they have and makes ends meet. while everything in the country contiues to go up in price, we are suppose to take a break. Crazy. If we do, we don't pay our mortgage, our student loans, our car payments. Most people in Washington don't get it and neither does this guy!
Wow, you take five days together... aren't you the man about town?
Thanks, Russ – I think you're one of the only level-headed commenters on this forum.
The rich may pay more property tax because they buy more expensive homes. They pay more taxes on their cars because they buy expensive cars. They pay more taxes because they fly on airplanes more. They buy more expensive toys. They also don't have to worry that they won't be able to make the mortgage payment or get the kids braces.
No, they don't pay most of the taxes in this country. When you look at REAL TAXATION RATES, including sales taxes, various fees, etc.? The poor are paying 15% to 25% of their yearly income in taxes. The middle class? 35% to 50% yearly.
Now compare that to the rich who make SO MUCH more yet only pay 13% capital gains tax.
The rich are perpetuating class warfare against the poor and middle class.... and the rich are winning today.
Thanks chris at least some know the truth and are not blinded by "Newspeak" of course the trouble is the poor dont want the rich to pay more taxes as they cling to the hope that one day their american dream will come true for them and make them a millionaire too... not realizing that the chance of that happening is less than winning the lottery (since most prizes are less than a million)
ummm...I'm in the middle class and I have no problem taking vacation. Just got back from 10 days off up in the mountains escaping the heat. You do not have to be rich to manage your money.
bet it ws nice to get home to mummy and daddy tho huh?
Robert:
With all due respect, I find it interesting when folks keep saying the rich do not pay taxes. As a CPA for almost 25 years, I can tell you that the rich pay plenty of income taxes. In fact, the top 5% of earners pay nearly 50% of all individual income taxes. But, I will ask you what I ask many that say the say same thing: Question 1: Do you actually know a rich person that pays NO income taxes? Question 2: Have you ever prepared income tax returns for any rich person that pays NO income taxes? Question 3: Have you ever had a rich person tell you that they never pay any income taxes? I can tell you that when those questions are asked, I never get a yes to any of them. I do not know how you define rich. Most describe it as someone who makes more than themselves. Nearly 48% of the country does not pay any income taxes and many of that group actually receive income tax refunds without paying any income tax. In short, it is trite to simply say that the rich pay no income taxes, but it really simply makes you look silly. That is my take and you are free to differ, but I am dealing with facts and you appear to be dealing with hyperbole.
INCOME tax, yes. Once you take into account sales taxes, various other fees, etc.? The amount of taxes that the rich pay goes W A Y down to being barely 10%.
I wish Americans could live the lifestyle they do in Europe. We have more in common with China and India as a society. If we want to vacation like Europeans, we need to become Europeans asap.
Meaning we should be move to Europe. Can you not comprehend that?
The problem is, many, many Americans are AFRAID to take time off from work, they fear having a pink slip waiting for them when they get back.
I miss when I was overseas, I got to take an entire month off on vacation.
If a person is afraid they will be fired for taking a vacation, they need to find a new job. I'm saying they should just quit, but they need to get out ASAP because they have a horrible employer. That is a terrible way to live life.
You don't want to read about my stupidity on these threads? How much would that be? Can you please show me some evidence of my stupidity? I'm pretty sure I've left none. All I see is what you have left behind.
Actually you can. Just don't spend money you do have, save money you dont need to spend, and you can take nice vacations.
You have to have something left to save. It is a little hard when the kids move back in with the grandkids.
Having a ton of people under one roof is a perfect way to buckle down and take advantages of savings. Think of the money everyone saves on rent, bulk food purchases, carpooling, and being able to entertain each other without going outside.
You left your stupidity on her mom's bed? Dude, log off. I think you are missing an iCarly rerun.
13 days off? That sounds like paradise; I only get 5 for the whole year.
With a name like Shameequa, I know your a$$ isn't skinny niJJer!
@ Shameequa
I think we can all say you are the ignorant one.
The poster is obviously a bored teenaged loudmouth, incapable of having an adult conversation, hence the personal insults. For, the immature are unable to muster a cogent thought, let alone argument, hence result to name calling, like the child that they truly are.
Will someone please moderate this moron out of the forum?
Good lord. My husband is neither fat nor a "burger flipper" and he never gets time off.
I know lots of men who stay late around the office, because of the nags at home. think about that.
I'm european and I get 5 weeks paid vacation a year – longer if I choose to do so without pay for the subsequent weeks. Without any risk of being replaced, I should add.
Bring it on Shameequa
I miss those days. To be honest, I'm considering moving from this country back to Europe. Indeed, the Middle East is more stable than that US currently is, economically and politically. Not to mention that the price of gasoline is only a quarter per gallon...
And I miss taking a month off on vacation, so that I could travel a bit.
I get 5 weeks of paid vacation every year without threat of being replaced too. And I live in America.
what makes you think he is fat? You make stuff up
@ BelialsBane
Agreed!
After reading a post... I'd guess Shameequa is an old white man who supervises people.
Nope. I'm quite certain that Shameequa is merely a boorish teen, not realizing that children should be seen and not heard.
Wise words from a man with a job. For a lot of American's, it's no work means no play. More of the same, Politicians and Media out of touch.
AMEN.
"out of touch"
Exactly. what condescending tripe coming from the upper wealth class.
Exactly.
Fareed, have you looked around or read the news lately? Vacation? That the highest priority now??? Try employment, social security, medical coverage... you're out of touch.
Apparently, you seem to lack the wit to comprehend the notion that one can only TAKE a vacation if you are employed.
Those who are unemployed need not consider this article at the current time, as one can't take a vacation from unemployment by definition of both words.
You are out of touch if you think a job is the key to having fun.
Vacation? The Damned republicans won't allow it.
Really? Let's not make this another polarized political debate that blames one side or the other without ever getting to the root of the problem. It's uncalled for and only makes things worse.
If I had paid time off I would take it @working to pay the bills.
Grow up.
Hey America, fortune favors the workers, I went from making less than 30k a year to making over 100k a year by working very hard, day and night, and now my family is secure with plenty of savings, a home, and no worries...you can do it...never give up, focus on something, become the best at it and never stop...vacations are great, but now is not the time, now is the time to stand out before all others in your career field and come out of this great DEPRESSION on top.
which state is lalaland in again I forget? I lost my job due to my cash drawer being out of balance. I repeatedly told my employer there was something wrong with my hands paid $1000 copays for 4 MRI's, for which I had warnings for too much time off, 3 years later I find I have SPMS, but yes I am sure if I had worked harder (not being able to hold a pen in my right hand), I could have made it to manager.. wanna know whats in my wallet? A medicaid card
The majority of Americans are too busy complaining about how unfair the world is. 90% of the Americans today wouldn't have made it through the 1800s or even the through the early 1900s.
And that is a bad thing? Talk about an idiot supreme.... that is like saying that people from the 1800's wouldn't have made it through the Black Plague years.
Let them eat cake. wow, it's really happening to America.
It was happening in South America first... like a practice field. Watch The War on Democracy and South of the Border. I was struck by the similarities in how things are working in the United States. I will start reading about what was going on. What the corporate Oligarchy got for their pains was a huge move toward socialism in reaction to their hardball games. ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION, YOU HOPEFUL OLIGARCHS????? I used to be a Republican. Nevermore.
Employee: "If I take all of my vacation, they might discover they can get along without me, permanently. I'll just forfeit these unused vacation days."
Employer/Shareholder: "cha-ching"
Hit the nail on the head there..... when people are basically COERCED by that thought into not taking their vacation time, the employer wins and EVERYONE loses.
What's a paid vacation? Most service industry jobs, which is what the US economy seems to be based on lately, don't offer paid vacation days, let alone sick days. If you don't work, you don't have a job to come back to! There's no way to afford missing a day's pay to even stay home, and who the heck can afford to go anywhere? I've been unemployed for over a year now because our call center packed up and moved to the Phillipines, almost 500 jobs lost. I'm in school again, scraping by while supporting the two of us, and even during the school breaks I am catching up on housework and too broke to take a real vacation.
Just remember folks, whatever is "average" means there's a lot of people below that number, and it's being pushed higher by the few at the top who get a lot of vacation days, earn a lot more and don't give a rat's backside about the rest of us.
Well you got one thing right. I dont give a rat's backside about other people's hardships. Because we all have them. I have my own to deal with. I work in the service industry for an employer that pushes us to use our vacation.
I seriously doubt that.... from what I have seen, most employers push people to NOT use their paid vacation time.... unless at the end of the year, the PTO and vacation time is turned into an extra paycheck to the workers.
that's why you need LABOR UNIONS
Many are taking a break right now...its called being unemployed!
If you think being unemployed is a "vacation" think again. Your comment also infers that people who don't have jobs willingly put themselves in that position. That is not true. I was unemployed for five months after graduating college and not having a job was hell. Waking up each morning and immediately applying for jobs until late at night was what my days consisted of. Vacation? I think not.
Old white business owner pretending to be a black woman, are you?
Send $100 billon to solve the job problems,
We have about 50 million Americans who are over 50 years and still working. Give each of them $2 M and ask them to quit working but with that money you give up you SS payment and all you have to do is buy a house and an American car. If you have a house pay it off and buy a new US made car. You can go and start a new business but you give up your current job.
With this if you have 50% of above 50 years taking it you create 25 million jobs and solve the housing problems. You also have the car business picking up.
The biggest problem is to implement it at the state level or the federal level.
Then cut the capital gain tax on companies to 17% .
Sounds good except that you are off by a factor of 1000. 50 million x 2 million is $100 Trillion, not $100 Billion.
We have 50 million illegal aliens... cheaper to just send them home. Many of them have fake SS cards and work at good jobs.
I am working now. I am a programmer and I post an occasional comment when I have a script running and I have some dead time. Employees who do not donate a lot of free time are no longer with us. That is how I keep my job. Overtime is 100% unpaid and not optional.
That's part of the reason why I left on my first year at a video game programming school in the U.S. I went back to my home country, where I'm going to medical school. Once I graduate, I'll enjoy 34 days of paid vacation at a 1.3x rate (yes, that's a 30% increase), weekends with many free Fridays, 18 holidays, and 1 week of carnaval. They also have to pay me a lot of money if I'm ever laid off.
I am glad for you. Congratulations on going home.
A job is a choice. You can choose to work where they treat you like crap or you can go somewhere else. A job is a two way relationship. When you are not longer getting an equal value in return for your work, its time to move on.
Are you joking, Jeff? Today, for many people, it is work for the company they are working for or have NO JOB, because they know that they are not cut out for 'higher education' and there are very few to NO other employers to work for in their area.
Am I the only one who found this kind of insulting? I hate to break it to you Fareed... it's not some fear of the American "hectic turbo-charged system" falling into 2nd place which keeps us from vacationing... IT'S THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS THE WORK DAYS. Need I remind you that our economy sucks and many of us are without reasonable employment. Paid vacation days? Love to... lemme just run it by the boss first... oh sorry Fareed, I can't hear you over the sound of his diabolical laughter...
I kind of thought the article was addressing those Americans who have paid vacation days as part of their employment. I don't think he was encouraging Americans to take unpaid leave.
Those who have "paid" leave are threatened into giving it up.
Mike...please be honest about why you cannot afford to miss work. Is it because you spent the money already? For many Americans they cannot afford to go somewhere for vacation because they spend their vacation money paying for something they bought 6-12 months ago.
Recommending vacation for life style balance and rejuvenation? Certainly; but to encourage idleness as a cure for economic woes? Bizarre.
9.5% unemployment. How many of those that are employed work for the U.S. Government? None of these workers generate new monies, they just recycle. Enjoy "Labor Day" to all those unemployed. My heart goes out to you. If you voted for "change" you got what you asked for.
Be more like Europe – isn't America tired of trying to be more like Europe. Why don't we try being more like America!!!
because it only works for 5% or less of the population.
Because you americans are so stupid Frank, you refuse to speak English, prefer to speak American, you have poor manners, disgusting table manners, shun education, are so fat. You think you are superior, but none of you are. You walk around with your nose in the air, you want to "force" you values onto every country in the world. You tell those coming to america to change their names to american names? Please give me a break. Just give up your ethnic background in favour of football and baseball. It would be wise for americans to embrace the world and all cultures and not spread their lies, filth, and disgusting values.
HA, I'm unemployed, and can't find a job no matter how hard I try. Hows that for a vacation! Get real!
Have you tried looking at the job boards? I am currently employed but I am always looking for a better deal. I see thousands of jobs out there.
And if your skill is not longer in demand what have you done to gain a marketable skill? Or are you just looking for jobs that use a skill no longer in demand?
admin assistant in las vegas. Trust me, there are very few postilions open.
I only get two weeks vacation, plus an ocassional holiday, like Christmas or Labor Day off. The two weeks' vacation is technically only ten days paid off. How can I really take a vacation with that? How can I go to Europe or travel abroad with ten days? Ends up I'm finding I use my ten paid days per year for a mental health day or just one day off to tack onto to Christmas. That's it. It's not a very fulfilling way to live, but this is the standard for American companies. Where do you see Americans other than the ultra wealthy taking long vacations?
I wish Fareed would take his own advice and leave the airwaves for a few days....or years!
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Here's Johnny.
It may make Jack a very dull boy, but Jack can pay his bills!
And who can AFFORD to take a vacation??? I know I can't... I'm on disability and haven't had a raise in 3 years... I'm too broke to even pay attention, much less pay for a vacation! And even the folks that can work can't afford a vacation, either they don't have the money because it's all going towards bills... or they are worrying about tomorrow being their last day and they'll be like the other 9% of America... Unemployed....
Your off base. Lots and Lost of people can afford it. Your on disability. The gov't isn't gonna handout vacations like cheese.
The power of computers. Maybe Zakaria can write a story about it
Guess you, um, aren't working.
As an American who has lived in Europe for the past 16 years, I couldn't agree more! I would have a difficult time adjusting to the lack of vacation time if I ever moved back to the US. Summer vacation is a part of the European mentality. Get in your camper and go! Having just returned from three weeks in Italy, it is a part of the culture that I definitely appreciate (and I live in a country that 'only' gives 25 vacation days per year...)!
A country with a solid work ethic is the surest way to excape from global irrelavence.
If Fareed would be willing to pay for the money I will miss and front the funds for my vacation, I would definitely be willing to take up to 3 months off. Brother, you have my email addy. Email me and I'll be happy to send you an address to mail my check.
Its called saving. You do save money right?
What a joke. I work for an employer who doesn't even believe in HOLIDAY PAY, not for Labor Day or even XMAS. I get to stay at home and wonder how I am going to pay my bills work with a day's less pay, AND YOU SAY TAKE A VACATION. It is so easy for those that have Holiday Pay and VACATION PAY to tell us that have neither the money nor the time to do so. Unless the author of this article feels he can send me the money TO DO WHAT HE SUGGESTS.
If the relationship with your employeer is no longer providing the benefit you want I suggest looking for a different job. Otherwise, please do not complain because you signed up for a bad deal.
And do not believe the hype. There are a ton of jobs out there. If you do not have the skills I suggest working on getting them. Libraries are a great resource as is the internet.
If you lived in France or Germany, the law would require a paid vacation and thats the whole run. But unlike Germany, you can give your employer the heave ho.
are you kidding?
employers are not allowed to mistreat people
that's why we need and have labor unions
Happy Labor Day
As to my last post, the first person who says "FIND A NEW JOB", it too me lmost 2 years to get this one. I'll be damned if I quit to find another in this economy.
I am one of those that tell people to quit complaining and find better work environments if they do not like where they are. But in your case, you are absolutely correct. In this economy – which is still in a recession – the employers are trying to do more with less. If you don't keep up – often on your own time – then you will be layed off. In that case, you will get much more "vacation" than all of those other countries combined trying to find work again. And to say that you can be more productive by taking entire months off during the year. What a joke. I promise that I get much more work done by actually WORKING than spending a month off, having to come back to work, and try to remember what it was that I was doing – or where my cubicle even is.
Good joke. Whereas Europeans long ago understood that annual quality time off is essential, in the US corporations rule and will never allow legislation that would mandate more than one pitiful week that is on the books.
Too bad that such rules destroyed low cost manufacturing in Europe.
Do the exact opposite of whatever this fang toothed snake in the grass tells you to do.
the only european people I know were my great grandparents, and they disliked or hated europe so much they just had to get out of there ; with not much luggage either
The whole no luggage thing must have made the travel easier.
The problem with Mr. Zakaria's advice is that when you give vacations off, people get used to it, and think they need even more time off. Then you get a situation like France or Greece, where when they actually need to tighten the belt and reduce their two months of vacation time, they riot and destroy properties. No thanks... I don't want another France in America.
Think about it this way, during the Industrial Revolution workers would have seen two weeks of vacation time how we see two months today. Yet because we have grown up with the two week standard, we now see it as a minimal amount of time. Its a slippery slope situation, and one that the U.S. should not fall into.
Wow...please tell me you never leave your house and interact with the real world. Logic like that is dangerous. I mean with the kind of leap I could see how you would be against road constructions since people would get use to high speeds in their cars and that would lead to riots when they have to go slow.
Worried about the US economy lagging behind? HAHAHAHAHA...
Must be nice to have a job that affords vacation. I'm worried about just having a job.
If you are worried about having a job, I would be working on steps to eliminate that worry either by making yourself worth more than your expense to the company or by finding a industry to work in that has some stability.
Zakaria is only telling us half the story. The EU requires its members to set a minimum standard of four weeks paid vacation annually. Finland and France require six weeks paid vacation, plus additional paid holidays. Some European governments even require employers to pay bonuses so their workers can afford to do more than just sit at home on vacation. Until the early seventies, European and American workers logged similar hours. But the pattern drastically diverged, with Europeans getting more vacation time, around the same time US income inequality began growing. In the United States, corporations gained the upper hand against workers and their declining unions, and the Democratic party started shifting away from working class concerns. In Europe, stronger unions and left political parties pushed for shorter work hours.
The basic message here is that the disparity between what Europeans enjoy in terms of time off and what Americans typically do has little to do with culture and is more a factor of government regulations in collusion with union labor policies. We work more in the US because we are not required to work less.
Such rules though are what Europe is currently struggling with. The U.S. is actually in a pretty good goldilocks zone right now. Too much to the right and you fall back into Industrial Revolution type regulations. Too much to the left and you end up with overpaid workers, lots of free time, a destroyed economy with massive debt (where the U.S. is heading but not because of workers) and riots over increased hours of work and less vacation time.
Very true, very true, great observations...
Our employers have learned how to squeeze free work out of us. They work us 60 hours and pay us for 40. Two employees then do the work of three. So, they lay off one our co-workers and use the savings to increase their own bonuses.
Our employers are our adversaries now, not our friends. They have converted each of us into a full-time worker and half-time unpaid slave.
And yet you continue to work there. Here's a hint...the power to change your situation is in you.
unionize
Most American workers can't vacation because they know that if they are perceived to be non-essential, they will be downsized. It's got nothing to do with love of work or money, it's just the incredible imbalance of power between employers and employees.
If your value to the company rests solely in you sitting in a chair at the office, and not sitting in that chair for 1-2 weeks a year shows you are non-essential then I'm sorry but the truth is you are. Just showing up is not good enough these days. You actually have to add value to the company. And if being gone for two weeks out of a year erases the value you created the other 50 weeks of being there then you are not a very good investment for the company. The blame in that situation rests squarely with you.
All those people here complaining about how only those with work and money can afford what employed Zakaria is telling them to do are being irrational! We dont take vacations not only because we work our fingers to the bone but also because we spend like maniacs and never save. Those who want to eat out all the time, purchase cars they shouldnt be buying, and want to buy, buy buy, all the time must be prepared to work all their lives without vacations and maybe even lose their health and peace of mind. Live within your means and vacations should be no problem at all.
Finally....someone who makes sense!
It must be nice to work for some organization that gives you paid vacation time. I wonder if they give their employees holiday pay and health insurance too. Maybe even a pension plan?
I don't know if this guy writing this is just stupid or arrogant.
It is nice. And guess what. You can work there to. All you have to do is make it happen. Yo have the power. Stop waiting for someone to hand you the life you want, and go out and fight for it.
Here in Europe we have paid vacation, plus vacationbonus. paid health insurance and up to 6 weeks paid sick days...
So I guess Farred knows nothing of the people who invented or developed key parts of " the information revolution, Silicon Valley, hedge funds, biotechnology, nanotechnology and so on" They work extremely hard. Many after 4 years of college, 6 years of a phd, and years of post-graduate work. Many of America's greatest inventors and scientists worked unbelieveable hours: Edison, Einstein, etc. Ok, Bill Gates dropped out of college, and then spent decades building a company. Steve Jobs, just stepped down after working for years with cancer. Theres something else, all of these people are thinking about work even when they aren't in the office. Sorry Fareed, you're using false statistics to show lack of causality when its quite the opposite. You know what it takes to succeed: Hard work and unconventional thinking. Stop telling people the opposite.
yeah but not everyone is an Einstein or Bill Gates or myself, with a vision and the genius to make it happen. The average people need to take their vacation, spend some money, and keep the economy rolling.
Working hard for something doesn't mean never taking time off. Those people you named succeeded not because they worked hard, but because they found something they loved to do and then found a way to make money doing it.
The dearth of American leisure time has little to do with American workers and what they want, and everything to do with the greed of their corporate overlords. Management knows that, if it were to employ three people at 40 hours per week, it would have to pay 50% more benefits than if it employs two people at 60 hours per week. And so on and so on. When conservatives rant about how two-paycheck families aren't properly tending to their children, remember that it is THEIR position that what is good for business is good for America. It is THEIR work ethic that says that 40 hour work weeks are for liberal union weenies.
The unreasonable demands that businesses put on the work force IS destroying American families. And the so-called family-values conservatives really couldn't care less, as long as stocks are up.
Isn't that fault then the result of excessive benefits, created by Liberal lawmakers. Its a trade off, at least according to what you said, more benefits and more hours of work or vice versa.
Its up to you to choose your path.
ha!! totally pegged u as a republican from an earlier comment Brandon and bingo there it is..."those damn Liberals" Well this liberal works long hours 12 1/2 hr graveyard shifts plus mandatory OT. I have held down 2 & 3 jobs at a time. I recently worked for 2 1/2 months without a nite off. No food stamps. No hand outs. No benefits. No holiday/ vacation time since like many of my fellow Americans I find myself working as a Temp to Hire which means the company I work for can take years to decide whether or not they want to "Hire" me & give me anything other than just a pay check. Of course I'm grateful to have a job. But work like I have for 5, 10, 15, 20 yrs without a vacation. I get "mini breaks" 2 days here & 3 days there. I'm in my 40's now helping my 2 adult children thru college. The last time I had 1 whole week off was 2006! 4th of july camping trip & I had to negotiate with my boss at the time just to get it and that was before the economic crisis!!! unpaid week off by the way!!! I wont even ask now!!! You know when I'll get a real vacation Fareed? When I "retire" as in " too old to work." Thats if the Republicans dont dismantle every single solitary social safety net that Americans struggled to put in place after working 16 hr days 7 days a week thru the industrial revolution. God knows I can relate to what those people went through....ha ha maybe I should just be a good little patriot and work myself to death so it that it doesnt cut into any rich corporate shareholders profits by having to pay me a few benefits or a week off!!! And "Shameequa" or whatever your name is...dont bother with a nasty comment I wont see it..I'm off to work!
I'm surprised that people put up with jobs and employers that expect them to NOT take vacations or offer them time off at all. We as a society need to enforce paid time off for everyone, and more than a paltry 2-3 weeks per year... fast road to burnout.
You are dead right, however, since employers can fire you at any given time nobody is willing to take the risk.
And workers can fire employers at any time. Its a two way relationship. But if you allow them to take advantage of you, they will.
if we could get the taxpayers to foot the bill like the gov. does we would be on vacation too.
I dont need anyone to foot the bill for my vacation. I plan for it and save for it. I can support myself. Thanks.
Fareed is absolutely right, but the blame lies not on the workforce. It is the ignorant employers that are out of touch with reality. They see time of as a cost factor instead of realizing that time of actually increases productivity and keeps people sharp. It also creates jobs, since someone has to do the work. The long workdays Americans make do not create half the productivity Europeans have during theirs. The reason is simple. If you know that you have a long day ahead you would be crazy to work hard. The results are tangible. America is lagging behind in everything at this time.
It seems we have a new individual that thinks ALL AMEICANS have money flowing out our pockets. YOur comment of take a VACATION, reminds of one other individual who was told the people had no bread, "SO LET THEM EAT CAKE". Get off you mountain and see how the WORKING PEOPLE have to deal with and what they haven't got what YOU HAVE. then tell me to TAKE SOMETHING I can not afford or even have a right too.
James vacation doesn't mean spend money. It means spend time not at work. Of my five weeks of vacation only one costs more than a typical week for me. The rest are just time relaxing away from work. Doing things I love to do that do not cost extra money. You should try it. You can enjoy life without having to pay for it.
Living overseas has opened my eyes European living vs American living and I have to say Europe is one up on America. I recently spoke with a German Radiologist who said he loved working in America, but left because of the work hours – he wanted to be able to raise his children and be involved. I have to admit – working 12 hour shifts and forced overtime made me miss out on a lot of my children's life. A family has to have dual income just to afford a basic home in a good neighbor, forget private schools... and so. I think America should take a step back and look at their European counter parts – especially Germany. The living is so healthy and family oriented... everyone gets a holiday. I agree Americans are overworked – maybe if our government actually took a stand.... here a few ideas
1) Smokers – since it is linked to various disease and is now linked to ADHD – charge 50$ a pack – that will help with healthcare
2) Stop treating hospitals like luxury hotels – bring your personal items (like toothpaste, soap and clothes) – could save billions there
3) Stop allowing American companies to take their factories outside of America, if they do there should be a heft price to bring the material into America
4) College should be free to American born children – start charging people coming to US from other countries to go to school
5)Seriously these are random thoughts you can't tell me you haven't thought of them...
1. and 2. -not bad, except the tobacco lobby is way too powerful.
3. You do realize that you simply can't compete in America with unions and American taxes, right? So, you can either play it as it is or start shutting down companies. The latter just increases unemployment so that'd be counterproductive.
4. Who pays for it? College is not something that everybody deserves to go to. Degrees should be something truly hard-won.
Thank you so much for expressing it from the perspective of someone who has lived both. I wish Americans would see what many in Washington don't want us to know. How much better off would we be if we could live our lives as they do, have more free days to build our family life, rest and pursue creative endeavors. And BTW, I think we should make sure it's understood that Fareed is not scolding Americans for not taking days off. He's not that shallow. He is wanting Corporations and federal standards to be more generous toward the worker receiving more paid vacation.
First though, we need to get the corporations to move the jobs they shipped to China and India back here so our people can actually have a job to vacation from!
The basic fact that is overlooked is that Europe has much more "Holiday" time in order to ration jobs. While much of Europe considers 10% unemployment the norm we find it abhorrent here. Maybe we should all take a 20% pay cut, have the remaining homeowners all default and then start job sharing here. We all could then have 10-weeks of holiday and no money to spend as well. Nothing like lowering everyone's standard of living to equalize everything. You know, just like socialism does. Pretty soon we could all actually quit working on our jobs as well. None of you actually like goods in the store anyway do you?
thank you for stating what we all WANT to do but most cannot AFFORD to do, you ignorant and insensitive piece of shi**.
If you can't afford time off of work, that's your problem and no one elses.
Everyone can take a vacation except the President because it is obviously the easiest job in the country. (sarcasm intended)
blame it on the poo-ritan ideals.
It's not like many of us would not LIKE to take a vacation, it's that we CAN'T. Many employers now only give workers 2 weeks a year-and often that includes sick time and personal days. How does one take a multi-week vacation like the Europeans do in that case? Sure, one could possibly save up vacation time (if your company allows that) and take a long vacation every few years, but you'd better not get sick, or have to take a day off to chaperone your kids' field trip, or anything like that. And even if you can get the time off, many of us don't have the money-because in this crappy economy with high unemployment, those of us who are employed often have employers who take FULL advantage of the bad job market and give tiny, if any pay raises. Many of us have seen the cost of living rise substantially (fuel, electricity, food ,rent) while our paychecks have remained the same. What are we supposed to do-CHARGE our vacations? Racking up more debt will do NOTHING for our economy in the long term. The short term boost is not worth the long term debt-which will have to be paid eventually. Apparently, Fareed has absolutely NO idea what the average person is this country is going through. But why would he? He's an out of touch liberal journalist who most likely has a salary in the upper six figures, if not in the low seven figures. Millionaires have not one clue what the average person deals with-which is the real problem with congress.
if everyone decided to take vacation, employers would not be able to fire anyone. but they have you by the balls.
BrandonJ,
It's not only wealthy Italians, French, Germans, Brazilians, etc. who are receiving this paid time off. It's blue collar and hourly workers as well- factory workers, retail, service industry- the people who, in this country, might not dream of using their time off for fear of getting replaced. If employers here encouraged their workers to use and enjoy their time off, they might see happier, healthier, more productive workers without chips on their shoulders and an "us vs. them" mentality towards their companies.
I briefly worked an hourly service position in the UK, as a night shift desk clerk at a youth hostel. Not glamorous. A month after starting, I took 2 weeks paid vacation to come to the US for Christmas. My bosses didn't even flinch and made the schedule accordingly. They even told me to have fun. When my work permit expired 2 months later, I quit and that was that. I didn't feel like I had "gotten away" with anything because, time off is considered part of one's pay and benefits, and also, part of my pay was deducted for the National Health Service that I never used. So it evens out I guess. I think it all comes down to interpretation, and people trying to do the right thing instead of taking advantage of the system. We all know that's not sustainable (in the non catch-phrase sense of the word.)
Just my two cents and a bit of personal experience.
The Tea Party and conservatives are working hard to catch up to China's workers' salaries and suicide rate.
"If my employees aren't committing suicide or dropping dead from overwork they're not working hard enough to make me, their "job creator", wealthy so I can take a vacation on my corporate jet and not pay any taxes. Isn't capitalism wonderful?"
equalize ,unionize
we should all take a vacation. At the same time. It's called a strike.
Bingo!
Actually, if you read the news in Israel (a fairly conservative country the last 2 or 3 decades, though a near-Socialist one before then) people are essentially doing just that!
Maybe we can learn from them.....
Yeah...we all should- if the economy were working and people could afford it.
Follow Europe's lead? Look where they are right now. Sorry folks, but times are going to be tough with liberals in power. Eventually, the money just runs out.
Thanks for the thought Fareed, I can't afford a vacation!
Sadly Americans are slaves to Government and it's Taxation. Because our Sociology Experiment has failed on so many levels, Americans can't really take more time off than the government allows, which is weekends and a few holidays. I mean it's not so bad, being a slave that is...You make just enough to be 2 months behind...It's quite brilliant really...slavery. Just like Democracy...Anyone who thinks that having 2 choices is a Democracy is a slave...
Libya will be a cheap vacation.
Vacation?? Are you nuts?
Ive already had to suffer through three slobs taking their annual breaks this year. Currently most employers are keeping an absolute minimum staff to keep operations running. Mine is no exception. If one person takes a day off; It just doubles an already mind-numbing workload for their co-workers and forces us to work extra hours on already 12 hour days just to keep up with demands.
Vacationing is the most selfish and inconsiderate thing you can do to the people you work with.
you mean your employer hasn't bought slaves in India or China yet?
Why does he need slaves from India or China, is sounds like JGran already is a slave.
Taking vacation is selfish? Your relationship with your employer is between you and the employer. Not between you, your coworkers and the employer.
Vacation. I can't ..... BAD ECONOMY. Rising food prices, rent, etc.... Things don't come cheap during recession and unemployment.
In order to take a vacation teo things are needed:b 1. paid time off 2. disposable $$$$$$$$$$$ I have vacation time ,but taking time off to sit around my house because I haven't had a raise in three years and can't afford to go anywhere isn't appealing
Nope. All you need is time off. I'm willing to bet you can find things to do that do not cost money. The object is to get away from work, not spend money. And if you cannot go to work and still make ends meet you are doing it wrong.
I'm doing it in Alabama where wages/benefits suck
Let them eat cake.
Even if you have vacation time to take, given that the average workers haven't increased in better than a decade means you aren't going anywhere
Wow what a concept. American corporate stinginess with time off is beyond my belief. We're expected (and required) to work ourselves into the grave. As a nurse, I get the equivalent of 17 normal shifts a *YEAR* off from work. That includes sick time, vacation, mental health days, whatever. That's it. My colleagues in Europe get four times that many days off a year, and their employers not only don't make them feel guilty for taking it, they encourage and require them to take every single one of them. Would that American managers and CEOs were half that smart.
I work for a company that encourages us to take our time off every year, because as they say...we earned it. Personally I would never work for a company that tried to guilt me into not taking my vacation. But thats just me.
This is one more in a long list of pointless CNN opinion pieces. Amazing in its inanity. I suggest that the writer take a permanent vacation....
He tells "us" that we should take more vacation, when he fully well realizes (and admits) that the amount of vacation is a function of a totally insane corporate culture, which has so much power over employees that we feel lucky to get two weeks!
Is there a point here, other than to generate more click-thrus so you can tout that to your online advertisers?
I'm self employed, I took vacation, and it took me twice as long to dig back out! But it would have been nice to print a treatise on vacation during the actual time people take vacations and the kids are still out of school!
Yep, and the Europeans are so weak they could not even defend themselves from an attack, either on their countries or their homes. Tax rates are astronomical, yet "youths" run the streets and riot at any mention of cutting the socialized programs they depend on, and nobody stops them because the police and military has been castrated. No thanks, two weeks paid vacation is more than generous, we are soft enough as it is.
With a recent survey (http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/05/news/economy/job_satisfaction_report/) showing that only 45% of Americans were satisfied with their jobs, do you really think Americans would NOT be taking vacations or time off if they could? Maybe instead, Americans can't take vacations and time off because corporate lobbyists and crooked politicians have ensured that we have the least amount of employment protection for workers in the first world. Even more amazing is that these same corporatists have brainwashed the majority of the American public into not only accepting this (while growing increasingly overworked, underpaid, and unhappy), but also into vehemently blaming and lashing out at (1) labor unions who, for the most part, actually attempt to fight for the rights of the workers and (2) politicians who dare to propose even one piece of legislation that would put any restraint whatsoever on corporations (and, of course, branding them with the evil word, SOCIALISTS). Have people really forgotten that, when left unchecked (which is the direction we're heading), corporations (and the people who run them) are capable of grossly unethical and amoral behavior (e.g., working children 15 hours a day as chimney sweeps during the Industrial Revolution) in the name of profit?
Is he actually saying we should follow the lead of the Euro zone nations that are on the brink of economic collapse? Shameful! The WSJ ran a very funny article "The Case Against Vacations" this weekend. It was on point and hilarious. This is irresponsible drec.
My impression is that people are taking Mr. Zakaria's article too literally. My interpretation of it is that European's actually take time to live.
Why would anyone think working yourself to death, being miserable you whole life, and igoring your family so you can work longer hours is a preferrable way to live? The Europeans seem to have found a balance and are happier, yet we in the United State look down on them as "socialists." What is wrong with being happy? Is it because when "people" are happy "job creators" are not?
The Europeans he's referring to also get paid more than the average American worker. You'll find many Europeans who cannot afford to follow that example as well. Some of us actually work for ourselves, so there is no time off. Time off means no income. I don't think that many people enjoy working themselves to death, as youy so aptly call it, but some of us have to in order to make ends meet.
I don't think people are missing the point at all - they are just saying that there is no way to even begin to "live life more fully" when you PTO is so limited.
I'll add in one other problem with our "system," and that is the fact that when you start a new job, your vacation time rewinds to the lowest number, usually something like two weeks. This is a real problem for older people (like myself) who have worked for years and years - and then find themselves at a new job - and back to ground zero. It is terribly unfair. Of course, in the near era of "you'll have several careers during your life" this is wonderful for companies, as they'll do whatever they can to limit the time off we all get.
Oh, and one other thing. It was unions who fought for most of this in the first place, and they are now decimated. When you sit down and think about it, NO ONE is fighting for workers anymore - and if the GOP gets what they want - it's only going to get worse....
What is this paid vacation stuff? All I get is PTO which if I take cuts into sick time/family time/bereavement time/appointments if I take a vacation. If I left my position for a week with my company we would probably go out of business.
Exactly. There pretty much is not vacation in the US anymore. It's PTO (paid time off), which is supposed to cover sick time, family emergencies, etc.
Vacation and time off are the same things. I get 5 weeks of PTO. Of that I use 2-5 days for sick time and appointments. The rest I use for whatever I want that isn't work.
Hey, Zakaria, even if companies gave us that kind of time off (which they don't unless you work there 40 years and who can do that?), who has the money to go on a wonderful vacation. Certainly not us. We get 2 weeks vacation a year, and after family obligations and various emergencies, we don't have enough time off to go on any type of vacation, much less a 4 week Eurpoean type.
Yeah, as if Americans are CHOOSING not to take a vacation. As if we LOVE our slavery.
Actually you are choosing not to take time off of work. Perhaps you traded time off for a new boat, or a home improvement project, or perhaps more trips than usual to your favorite local eatery but in cases like those it was still a choice. You choose not to ask off of work. Or you choose to work for a company that wont let you take time off. Either way, it all comes down to your choice.
AMERICA IS FLAT BROOOOKEEEEE. You got corrupted politicians, s*x scandal governor, corruption, greedy fat cats stealing money and hiding money. TRILLION DOLLAR IS MISSING.
You think AMERICA IS RICH?!!? Ha in your dreams. It's hard to get the jobs done. You see HOTEL doesn't come any cheaper than your home rents, food, etc.... HOME VACATION is choice. WATCH TV!!!!
America is not broke in the slightest. The problem is that corporations have fooled the general populace into THINKING that America is broke and therefore that we have to roll back all the worker protections and benefits that unions fought for over many years.
I haven't had a real vacation since 2002. Great. I will take a vacation as suggested. But whose money do I use to pay for it? Oh, there is no money? Oh well, I guess I will just have to go to "verandah beach" & hope my workstation is still there when I get back & if it is still there, I can guarantee it will take a month to deal with all the crap people left on it while I was away on vacation. What's the point.
How much vacation time do they get in China and India? Getting anywhere in America (or even the world these days) requires making sacrifices. Vacations are one of those sacrifices.
It wasn't that way in the past, though. Companies actually cared about their employees and wanted them to be happy. Now they don't give a rat's rear end and figure they can replace you. We were actually told that in an HR meeting for the company I used to work for.
Why take a vacation when the economy is miserable?
Yet, another year where we have to be worried about our jobs and making a living for our families.
NO, its not time to take a vacation !
Prudent, mature, and responsible advice would tell people" stay home and save money for emergency funds – you'll possibly need it.
My parents said the same thing. Never took a vacation and traveled at all. Took a week off here and there.
My mother worked until the day she died. My father is retired, but disabled from congestive heart failure. So, he STILL doesn't get to travel, unless it's to the doctor or hospital.
So, save that money for the rainy day for the remainder of your life, then drop dead or just be crippled and unable to enjoy life. Great concept!
Sorry, I got a taste of the European vacation time, taking a month off on vacation at a shot. VERY relaxing and I was primed and ready for the hectic work that we had when I returned.
But, it's the American way to beat the work horse to death.
Prudent mature people planned for emergencies a long time ago and if they touched the money put it back. Heck if you save $20 a week you will have over $1000 at the end of the year.
What world does this guy live in? I thought he was at least educated but just boring as all hell. I guess he just pokes his head in the sand every time big business pushes wages down and cuts employee benefits. Not to mention the organized anti union effort underway in many states. Does he honestly think that more vacation time is going to happen because corporations are in a giving mood -to anyone other than an exec. or shareholder. Oh by the way, that unemployed guy will work for less than you and not take as much vacation time. How many times do employees hear "how grateful they should be to have a job" while working longer for less money and benefits. This will continue until big business gets what it wants, an American labor force like China's. or Mexico's. Lots of low wage, low benefit employees with little regulation. Why do they also fight against immigration reform?
What people who keep saying we need more vacation fail to understand that our jobs are on the line. Its not that we don't want to takt the time off, but its the worry that our job (or business) for that manner will be either taken over by someone else, run into the ground, or eliminated. Don't they realize that for me to be gone for more than 2 weekssomeone else is doing my job. This means my boss can look this and say why do we need him then, or this new person does a better job than you can so lets replace him. Its all competion that drives America and made us morpowerful than Europe who spends all there time on the beach.
We're not really that much more "powerful" than Europe at this point. We can't support the world economy as is, so the Euro-countries are looking for Germany – a vacation-land that actually makes and exports quality goods – to bail them out. We're all about to go down the tubes together.
Your point is valid except for the fact that CO-WORKERS can stick up for those who take allotted time off. I've SEEN it happen in real life........................
ummm if you can be replaced by someone just because they did your job for two weeks, you are really not needed in the first place and I would be looking for a job now. If two weeks shows that you have no value for the other 50 weeks of the year, you are not really working at keeping your job.
This guy encourages people to take a vacation here in America. With what money? Is he going to pay for people's vacations? Right now, with times so tight, people need to work more just to make ends meet. It's not about making America's productivity higher, it's about keeping up with everyday living expenses.
Very well said.
Fareed is obviously talking about full-time employees that get vacation time. DUH!!!! He's just saying that THOSE people should get/be allowed to buy more vacation time.
In America the government does not dictate vacations and pay. That's socialism (or unionism). It's up to the INDIVIDUAL to decide. And, yes, there are inequities. But often it's the rich owners who don't take vacations.
Well, I'll get back to work.
Thanx for the reminder Zakaria. Like we didn't know. Has anyone told Zakaria that he looks like a farengi from star trek the next generation.
How about this? Rich Americans should vacation more until they become flat broke!!!
I'm willing to bet the majority of Rich people no how to take a vacation and not spend a dime.
This guy is mentally retarded.
That's a fact not an opinion.
Hey maybe this is a prelude to Mr. Obama's speech on Thursday. Hopefully he'll announce another trillion dollar stimulus for employed workers to take a vacation to Hawaii or Chicago or Kenya. We can still afford to hope right???
Take it one step further and take a break from all of the bad news. This means no internet, no TV and no newspapers – just for one or two weeks. You'd be surpised at the difference in makes in your health and your general outlook on life by not being constantly bombarded with bad news – usually about someone on the other side of the world who was bitten by a dog or some other such trivial "news".
Fareed needs to go on permanent vacation in Europe. Please do us a favor and renounce your US citizenship and move to France or Greece.
Sham.....you are a funny guy......LOL,,,,,and a master of insults.......are you really are a standup comedian practicing insult humor and want another to be another Don Rickles?.....once again,,,,LOL,,,,you really got me laughing....
I don't know about that. WalMart that howls about paying minimum wage, no benefits in the U.S. still has businesses in Europe, pays more and gives benefits.... and STILL makes pots of money. This comment is either an outright lie or you have bought in to corporate propaganda.
I am sick of a Farengi tellin me to take a vacation.
you first Fareed, we're all tired of listening to you!
VACATION - EVERYTHING KEEPS RISING.... Food, gas, etc.... Today, I saw soda price jump almost two dollar. My pocket empty every time. I decide downsize the budget by drinking water. I have to cut everything back. HEALTHY FOOD IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. I decide to stay home cut everything back..
I Don't care about rich men stealing pretty girls and spread AIDS/HIV everywhere...
Healthcare FEARFUL.!!.
Fareed's point has little value. In '89 my brother was laid off from his company after 19 years. He went from a QC engineering tech to oriental rug salesman to do-it-all accounting clerk for a company that won't hire even its brightest temps. He's been there over five years; he's never been able to put together a full week off.
I can medically only work part-time; in part I thank my federal ex-employer that froze hiring, then adopted a 5-for-9 schedule supposedly to save the county's air quality. Those of us busting our tails worked 12+ hour days, double O/T. The "day off" every two weeks, heck, you were too tired to use it. I just wasted a year taking classes to be – gulp – a P/T accounting clerk; you used to be able to find those jobs in the daily classifieds. Then the temp agency tells me, sorry, we no longer hire those; our clients squeeze O/T out of their full-timers.
The corporate elite, of which Zakaria is part, runs America. Welcome, America, to medieval serfdom.
Agreed..... we are getting closer and closer to wage slavery in this country today. Personally, I feel that if a company needs to have people do overtime work CONSISTENTLY, they don't have enough people on hand to do what they have to do.
Mandated time off In America would just help to tip the scales in favor of companies relocating to China or Mexico. With so many already relocating, it's just a matter of time before our laws are changed to encourage them to stay in America. Things like, no longer requiring overtime pay, longer work days/weeks and less benefits.
Most people WOULD take a vacation if they were feasibly able to. The problem is that with their employers putting great demands on them and discouraging them from doing that, they cannot afford to do that.
Writing and publishing this article now, in the first week of September, shows just how out of touch Mr. Zakaria is with the reality of American life.
For many Americans, those with school age children, the time and ability to take a vacation is dependent on the school schedules of their children. This has been exacerbated by longer school years, and additional days of instruction, adopted by many school districts in order to meat requirements for federally mandated standardized testing. In most of America, the new school year started in mid-August. Regardless of what the Europeans are doing right now, most Americans cannot take a vacation while their child's school is in session.
This also effects the ability of most Americans to use their allotted vacation time. With most school districts on a "traditional school year", American workers in many industries must "bid" against their co-workers for the limited vacation slots available during their children's time off for school. Vacation time during such "prime time" is usually awarded based on seniority with the junior worker often being unable to take their allotted time off when school is out of session. With state and federal funding for schools based on attendance, schools will not allow children to be absent so mom and dad can take a vacation.
Yep, look how Europe is doing.
Ok, everyone posting that we need less vacation just to keep our jobs is NUTS! Having worked in computer job all my career I find either two things:
1) jobs that could be done in 1/10th the time............tons of it is either FACE TIME + working at looking UBER busy!
2) doing the job of 5 people while management takes home $80K bonuses!! WHY CAN'T THOSE WHO WANT EXTRA TIME JUST BUY IT (for all those of you who are complaining about not enough work for all)!
DO ALL YOU NAY-SAYERS FORGET THAT MGRS HAVE A STAKE IN EMPLOYEES LOOKING/BEING VERY BUSY!
This country has so much unemployment because we are now a mature society-don't need that many new office buildings, new houses, new roads, new schools if we all insist on earning more than the Chinese-most of that was built in the 50's. Reality is most of us just need to eat (we have plenty of land here for food), (existing) house to live in, a car, TV, and a couple of nice trips a year. Just read 'iseveryoneblind?' comment!!!
Hey America: Work less. Pay more in taxes. Further empower the federal government and become dependent on it. Embrace Euorpean style socialism / Marxism. Vote Democratic. Support Obama.
I grow weary of Zakaria's mantra. CNN, try some news reporting instead of simply serving as a propoganda arm of the Democratic party.
Unemployed..... I don't want to vacation myself on beach. Because society is full of GOLD DIGGERS!!!
I can only do few things at home. SLEEP.... SLEEP was good option at home.
"take some time off, because a brutal work schedule isn't helping the economy"
Yes...do it for the economy. Is this guy retarded? He wants America to reduce production and lower their income to help the economy? Fareed, you are embarrassing harvard FYI...
HEY ZAKARIA !
WHO DIED AND MADE YOU KING???
Call it slavery if want..but it is income producing work.
Most of the people in the world have nothing but grinding poverty, Illness and starvation. If we have to work long hard long hard hours, its a privilege to have this available. like our Rioting European and Israeli counterparts we have become fat and spoiled and don't realize how easily economic demands could rip all of this away.
What are you talking about?? You're obviously drinking the Kool-aid..........................
Hey Fareed! Loan us the money for the vacation
I bet the top earners in the U.S. have a higher amount of paid vacation days than their European counter parts. I used to work in an office that overlooked a country club and there were always a bunch of stuffy looking older white men playing in the golf courses. It's bad enough that they hoard all the wealth, but the leisure time and vacation time as well? So much for the notion that the top earners are "hard workers". It's a shame the U.S. people can't "walk like an Egyptian".
When we talk about days off we should also count weekends. There are many places where people have to work 7 days a week so taking them for granted is not reason enough to ignore them. In that context the difference between the best (Italy) and America is 125 days versus 154 days.
Sorry Fareed...with the jobs situation the way it is companies expect us to work ourselves to death. Fortunately the company I work for gives me leeway since I do not get vacation time nor sick days. But I put in all the extra time they need when I can. I assume you are talking direct employees. If I had the vacation I would take it. Since I work from home if I am sick I work anyway so I have the hours in. However...I do not get paid for those...they are banked and I use them during the week.
American corporation or let's say all employers in america does not give generous vacation leave for its employees unlike there europe's counterpart. Europe and middle east have the most generous compensation ever. You can work like horse but you will get a 35 to 45 days paid vacation to unwind. You read it people- It is a PAID vacation for 35 to 45 days. That's vacation without worries.
This guy is a waste. If I ever want a bleeding heart's point of view, I know he'll give it to me. Go get a real job.
Hey Fareed! Suggestion: Why don't you go to London or Paris. That is where you belong. I know you are trying to convince Americans to forget their way of life and follow your "suggestions" to emulate failed European models like socialism and government dependent societies. That way of thinking is so like your elitist liberal definition of modern society!
Beg to differ. America was build on the relentless hard work of earlier generations. The current generation does not compare in terms of work ethic. We don't need more vacations. We need to work harder at improving skill levels, and then even harder to translate them into something of value to society. That is the only way to get out of this mess.
What are you talking about?! Do you want to go back to our grandparents time when EVERYTHING was done manually? Sure, I'd love to do accounting without computers again!! Of course they worked hard-nowadays we call it working EFFECIENTLY, not RELENTLESSLY!!
And as far as going back to school, I could easily have learned what I spent 4 years in college learning in about 3 weeks with the proper instruction! And corporations could invest the 3 weeks needed to really train their workers. WOW, what a novel concept!!
If you work at a place where you get fired for using your benefits (vacation, FMLA, etc), man, you're in the wrong place. I always take all my vacation time without a worry in the world and still have my job and my sanity, and it's a well paid job.
Yes, well, not all Americans are as lucky as you.
With all due respect Mr. Zakaria, following the European model is what has gotten us into this mess in the first place.
Sure, let's follow the Greek economic model and work less and spend more. Great idea! Let's take out a second mortgage to pay for that vacation. What? I have no equity in my house? My credit cards are maxed out? Never mind, bad idea.
Mr Zakaria, most of us would love to take a fancy rich man's vacation like Obama did in August spending weeks playing golf with billionaires in Martha's Vineyard, but we can't. You and Obama don't seem to have noticed, but almost 10% of Americans are on an unpaid vacation right now, and the failure of Obama's policies and leadership has left us strapped. We simply can't afford to take a vacation, and the few who can are afraid to take much time off through fear that lazing away on a beach like Obama will put them at the top for the next coming round of layoffs. Obama doesn't have to worry about losing his job for his lousy performance until Nov 2012, the rest of us face it every day. Mr Zakaria, what world do You, Obama, and the rest of the extreme left wing Elites of this nation come from? You are certainly out of touch with average working Americans and the millions sweltering in Obama's mile long UNEMPLOYMENT lines?
Hey Fareed–
Here in America most of us are worked hard for little pay, and have so much work to do that taking a vacation is just not feasible. I've been working long hours for over 3 years since I graduated from college, and haven't taken a single vacation that wasn't used for MCAT exam preparation. Not a single relaxing vacation over 3 years, and although I get marked 'outstanding' on every yearly report, my income is pretty stagnant. This is why I am planning to go back to school (specifically medical school) next fall (if I can get in).
Michael
so most of the people commenting here are mad that they can't take time, afford to, etc. and/or mad at the writer because they can't take time off...makes no sense. yeah, if you look at it individually, there is "nothing" you can do. if you look at it collectively, you all do have power (to insist on time off changes, work changes, a strike, whatever) you just choose not to use this power and insist on looking at your situation and options only as an individual.
Apparently many of you fell asleep in economics classes in high school, so here's the rundown. http://20somethingfinance.com/american-hours-worked-productivity-vacation/. Americans are quickly overworking ourselves into early graves. And many of you with the hectic schedules, are salary, which means you DO NOT GET OVERTIME, so on top of having less time off, you are also getting paid less per hour for the work you do. It has also been proven in studies around the world, that when a average workers day goes beyond 8 hours, every hour past the 8th productivity drops, and significantly past the 10th hour. It also leads to sleep deprevation and lowsy driving (driving tired is a lot worse than driving drunk...don't beleive me...here are the statistics http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-drivers-bad-drunk.html ) And for those who are going to say "well your just a bleeding heart liberal", Yes I am a democrat, but I am also an Accountant..and I do work LONG hours, but even my profession requires time off as part of being GAAP compliant, because a lack of time off causes burn out. This is why Europe is steadily kicking our butts when it comes to productivity and growth...they figured out happy workers are more productive a long time ago.
Just to add onto what I already posted–
Even if I could take a vacation, I don't have the money to go anywhere or do anything (other than sit at home). I'm still very much in debt (thanks to the outrageous $46,000 a year it cost me to go to college). You'd think with a Molecular Genetics degree from the University of Rochester that you'd land some decent job coming out of college, but that is not the case. Try something closer to $30,000 a year–and you wonder why I want to go back to school (medical school) to get a higher degree (MD). I'll never be able to pay off my loans at my current salary.
Guess maybe you should have become a welder or something more useful. Sorry for your bad decision, but that's life. What are you going to do with that lesson?
Yeah, be a welder, as if that's a bad thing.
People like you don't understand that it's the Unions, the Labor Movement, that brought you this 40-hr work week.
The Labor Movement brought you THE WEEKEND, for crying out loud.
THINK about what you're advocating. The Republican leadership is VERY clear about that: Protect the Rich. Period.
Please. THINK. For your benefit, for your children's benefit. Please.
Spot on! Life is short when work yourself to death for a bunch of useless crap that your kids don't need. It is hard to take a good long quality vacation in just two weeks. Usually you need part of that for personal business. My wife is from the Philippines and when I sent her there it was for 3 months. Going half way around the world for two weeks is not worth it as it takes at least two or three days to make the flights to and from the destination leaving you barely a week to enjoy when you get there. Why to do we have to work and die like dogs can't we take the time to see a little of the world around us? If we did spend more time in the world around us may be the average US citizen would see the good things that other cultures have to offer.
Well said!!!!!!!!
And there is plenty we as a people can do about it. The first is to make active deciscions not to buy products\services from companies who treat their employees like slaves with no humanity or lives. Spend a little bit money and go to the shop that gives their employees decent vacations, go to the restaurant that closes on Sunday, spend a bit more at a store that gets its products from US manaufacturers and not from Mexico or Asia, etc.
The problem isn't that we "want" to work too much, it is that our employers need us to work more. Since the employer is carrying the cost of our health care, vacation time is money out of their pockets, so less vacation means more for them. In a universal healthcare situation, taking vacation would be far lest costly for employers.
Many people do and would choose more vacation time for money, but many professions just don't allow that sort of luxury.
We need to get more lazy, self protectionate and selfish. All our work is just making the rich richer and we get poorer for our labors. Get rid of illegals, end outsourcing and each action will be equivalent to the number of unemployed.
Ummm if the companies we are working for aren't making money, then they wont have anything to pay those of us providing the labor. I have no problem with outsourcing if it makes the company more profitable. I saw the outsourcing trend coming and got out of the fields that could be outsourced and into one that can't be easily outsourced. Those that are against outsourcing are using the same logic musica companies used to combat downloading of music. The market has changed. We as workers need to adapt to it. We should not be trying to force the market to stick with a concept that doesn't work anymore.
Americans hearing this stuff will make them feel like ILLEGAL MEXICAN smuggler.
Hey, American it's time to go back to europe. Get in your boat and hide away from Taxpayer's coast guard.
He's right. We should take a vacation with all this money we have to spare. Who needs to worry about getting a job, or keeping the one we have secure?
I have said it a couple of times, but if your worth for the entire year is determined by the small amount of time you take off in that year, you are disposable. I suggest you get to work on making yourself more valuable to the company so that your value is determined by 52 weeks of the year instead of just 2.
Only liberal ccn would say to take a vacation when you dont have a job. Kind of like saying "let them eat cake" when your hungry?
If you dont have a job and you want a job, and you are not working to get said job you will never get a job. They just do not hand out jobs. You have to work for them. And if you do not need a break for trying to get a job, you are doing it wrong.
This article is not saying people without jobs should take a vacation. This article is simply stating what has been said for years – the average American gets 13 paid vacation days a year. Not EVERY American. The AVERAGE American.
Compared to Europe, we are almost at the bottom of the list. This average number hasn't changed – whether the economy is in a recession or not.
I get above average days off. Five public Holidays (if any fall on a weekend, 8 hours is added to out vacation time bank for each) plus 8 hours of vacation a pay check. They never expire and roll over year to year if not used.
On average, I take 4 weeks a year. 2 weeks in April, a week and half in July, day after Thanksgiving, a few days around Christmas and scattered days throughout the year.
It helps that we can work from home – and I do, on Fridays.
Why doesn't CNN not talk about real 400,000 TENT CITY in ISRAEL?!?!? These are the people who come from middle class and can't afford themselves to bailout economic recession.
Of course Fareed wants Americans to act more like a Euopean! DUH !!
He wants us to become more lazy, narcicsistic and selfish. He wants to become good little Socialists !
The only narcissistic person here is you. The fact is that Europeans are NOT lazy in the slightest, they just do not allow businesses to take advantage of them and coerce them into working until they are 1 minute away from death or so hard that they actually die.
Thats so well Said Christopher. So well said.
13 days of vacation? I wish.
I am fortunate enough to get 1 week. And I consider myself lucky to get it.
I know of many other people who get none at all.
In the USA of A were are taught this fallacy that being a good American is to work hard for your company for what amounts to your entire life, this dedication is then rewarded with respect, money, power, quality of life and the finalization of ones "American Dream" coming true.
This is a lie, working harder does not bring you closer to the American dream nor does it makes you a good citizen, a good citizen questions the corporate culture he find himself in and weighs weather or not putting in those extra hours at work thereby taking away from enjoying life is really worth it, if so continue on, if not then find alternatives.
You only have one life to live, live it for yourself and your family not for those you are making rich.
Bingo. A lot of people are conned into working like slaves for businesses out of the fallacy and LIE that they will have a 'heavenly existence of perfect joy' after death, when the reality is a 180 back into another body on this planet or NOTHING after death.... no heaven, no hell, just non-existence.
This kind of mentality is what drove you into the hole in the first place. Hard work may not be the entire answer, but work sure is. Work is what got you all computers, cars, steel, light bulbs, and not "relaxing on the beach". Oh yeah, and I'd also like to point out that the "of A" in "USA of A" is redundant, and the likelihood of you committing a mistake like this would be much lower if you worked hard at school.
It isn't helping the economy all this overworking, its helping those employers and companies that in cost cutting measures, fired half of their workforce and placing two, three jobs onto the shoulders of one American employee.
Thats what this recession was all about. It was, is, in essence, a business opportunity.
But at the same time, in fairness, there were employees who simply sat on their laurels at cozy, steady, safe jobs and never grew with technological advancements as simple as working a PC.
Thus, when they got laid off, bam, their skills were either proprietary based according to company or industry or skills stuck in 1991 or no real tangible technology based skills at ALL.
But I do believe that the fault of America, the biggest crutch is the self-fooling it does to itself believing that slave driving its workforce is beneficial.
Maybe employers know what they are doing, maybe they do. Perhaps employers know they can work that cheaper-eager fresh out of college or HS grad for labor work, and work them til they are worn out. Then – bam again... laid off. Good luck. Used for your youth.
And we're not even considering all the illegal (and maybe legal) immigrants that have come here by the millions to offset American workforce as a whole, in blue collar work, or other small businesses, literally providing Chinese-like cheap labor IN the USA.
Anyway, my point was that it will be very, very difficult to change American work culture to think like Europeans in terms of holiday time. Or even siesta's. Forget it, its not going to happen. That slave-driving – 9 to 5 mentality, heck more like 7 to 6, mentality, thats so ingrained into U.S. culture that its not going to change at all.
You can tell by all the jerks here who've commented about people being fired for taking too long a vacation, what, like a 3 day vacation?
They can't stand seeing others take more vacation, like crabs, they pull you back into the bucket!
Good luck pursuing Euro-like Holidays!
Fahreed needs to understand most of us can barely afford to pay bills let alone go on a vacation.
The only ones who can afford a vacation is the ones who robbed this country ... bankers and our government. To them the party never ended because We.... The people picked up the tab.
The middle class aka the now Working Poor is always busting their ass working. While the elites in banks and in government dine on thousand plate dinners fly in limos, live in mansions , and then have the balls to tell everyone else that its OUR fault that were broke. We cant afford a vacation because the ones who bankrupted this country were ALWAYS on one. Thats where the money went spent on their lavish lifestyle while the working class are told to eat peanuts
Fortunatley, and maybe not for you right now, but "elites" hire. They do, but they hire people who have the skills, the tech-savviness and stamina and eagerness to work and so on.
NOT whiners who point at EVERYONE ELSE when its time to blame something. Start with yourself.
Many of the middle class, did or still continue to overspend and front success because they are envious of the "elite". Not saying all but that dusty covered up boat in the drive way, do you really need that? Or all that... stuff?
I think its time to look at yourselves and start there.
Excuse me, but this is a falsehood. Many well educated, well trained, highly skilled Americans are out of work. Before you open your mouth and deftly insert your foot, you would do well to understand the facts of the matter at hand.
hey selfish meme i didnt know it was popular to insult the person whos merely pointing out the obvious The emperor has no clothes.
So im being a selfish whiner for pointing ou tthat the reason Average Joe American cant AFFORD a vacation is necause those in power are always on one on OUR TAB.
I didnt vote for a bailout of wallstreet banks w o later took that money and stashed it into swiss accounts after taking nice vacations themselves/
Eventually this country will realize we werent brought down by communists or terrorists We were brought down by greedy bankers and their puppet politicians who couldnt stop living the lavish lifestyle on taxpayer tab
Ellen – How is pointing out a hard fact – that elite, the rich, affluent – HIRE a falsehood?
A large portion of that highly skilled American workforce got too expensive. Unfortunately thats also a fact. They never saved their 6 figure salaries, or much of it. They were living large until they got laid off, then they appear on news tv reports as to how they were making so much and now they are having to share rooms with friends... what happened to years of 6 figure salaries? You tell me, and I didn't speak it, I wrote it.
lol – well now you know. What kind of a statement is that? Who was I insulting?
You know agitators and anarchists are waiting on the wings to cause a chaos and disorder, last I checked, they also don't hire. But they sure love to get you all riled up about taxes and puppets.
I'm not blind I see it. But what can I or you do? Change yourself thats right lol that.
They invented hovercars already? So now I can buy a flying limo. Nice.
You have to be kidding. The GD hospital garnished my husband's wages to the tune of $1300 a month because they gave me crappy care when my son was born six years ago and I had to go back over and over because the placenta wasn't all the way removed. So now I've had to rob Peter to pay Paul and now everything's behind, and you think we can think of a VACATION? We're trying to keep the d*&mn power on! I have three jobs, my husband commutes four hours a day because we can't sell our house where his old job used to be. I am so sick of people in their comfy little bubbles in total denial of what's really happening. His car got hit, and we took the insurance money and paid bills. Now he looks like trash driving around with a smashed up door. I haven't had a new piece of clothing in years, much less a vacation! LMAO!!!
But you have a computer and time ot waste whining about yourself – grow up and stop feeling sorry for yourself, Only you can change your situtation and get a new doc.
thank you cnn for monitoring your comment section. i enjoy reading the frivolous, volatile, and profane comments on cnn.com
I've been on vacation for over 2 years since my company downsized. I just want to work.
What a joke, yea we should do like europe and take vacations. Thing is, in amerikan culture, business's and corporations do not allow us amerikans to take much of any vacations. The fact is pure and simple, in amerika production means more then your well being, as do profits, and pleasing the stock market.
Mr. Fareed must be a moron. Americans are given neither the time nor the income to afford a vacation. Stop blaming Americans for not having the money to live like Europeans. The fault does not lie with the American worker, it lies with the b*stard capitalist business owners who pay us crap, give us no time for vacations, and outsource our jobs.
Seconded.
Calm down and remind yourself that you are using a greedy capitalist contraption to post your liberal ramblings online.
The Internet was created by DARPA, a government agency, not a capitalist corporation. Learn your history.
Most of the posts on this thread would be deleted as vituperative or off topic on most other sites. To bad CNN doesn't do more oversight.
My guess is that shamequea or whatever... is an agent of a major corporation on a mission to troll these comments in an attempt to suppress any REAL discussion of this subject matter.
"Comments section moderator" should be a full time job at any news website
I did not expect this from Zakaria. Look at the fiscal deficit, trade deficit, national and consumer debt and then you are saying take more vacations?
Instead, this country needs to work harder and smarter – instead of flipping burgers or screwing economy through subprime mortgages, Americans need to revive the economy. Instead of buying things that one cannot afford, americans need to work harder to be able to reduce their personal debt.
Europe is still not in as bad a situation as US is. Yes, there are PIIGS countries that are a disaster but they also have Swiss, Scandinavia and Germany to show growth. US is on a decline and unless they fix the problems now, it will truly be saying "God bless America" – only blessings can then save US.
Stupidest "article" I've seen on CNN in a long time.....and that is saying quite a lot.
It's not that we don't *want* a vacation. We can't afford them. It takes me a full year to earn 5 days off. Believe me, if vacation time was forthcoming, more Americans would take it.
Unlike Bush, who spent about a quarter of his presidency on his ranch, clearing brush?
The 13 days quoted for the US is obviously incorrect. Those must be just the federal holidays. You have to add another 10 days (2 weeks vacation) to that. So it's more like 23 days.
Unfortunately, for those of us lucky enough to be employed, vacation is not an option. Either our employers would not approve or, if given the time, our finances would support little more than a night out at the movie theater. It must be nice to be employed by a company like CNN that pays its staff well enough to take a vacation.
I believe that this Mr Zakaria is correct. Proper vacation time is necessary and aids in a healthy life. But he is absolutely at fault for missing the other side of the story, as well as all media. If you take time off, even the amount you are allowed, you are at risk of missing "something" and sometimes that "something" translates into lost jobs. I think that the media needs to investigate this side of the story and if CNN is truly a news organization and not a corporation they will do so. My guess is that they will not.
Additionally, I think that if you were to ask each corporation about time off they would "publicly" support time off and wellness but in fact the only people who truly are allowed time off are those who are in power. Take a very close look, you news organization... take a very close look and you will find very interesting data. Good luck to those who are working and looking. Take care. S.
For the working class and the working poor in our country there is no such thing as vacation. We do not have the option of vacation because it is not offered to us and even if it were taking it would mean a pink slip. As 25 companys in the US paid less taxes than I did last year and CEO's salaries rise by millions every year as they lay off large percentages for working people and you think theses greedy people are going to offer vacation to people they would rather lay off. Ridiculous
Can you see the House & Senate not taking there long vacations? Most of my co-workers work 60-90 hours a week to try and make ends meet. We do not have a fancy life style or even credit cards (thank GOD for that!!) but struggle pay check to pay check like most people out there.
As a recent grad, I got my first job out of college 4 months ago after 5 months of job searching. I was a desperate grad with a degree in Graphic Design and accepted the only offer I got after applying to 5 places. First I was an intern for 3 months, and finally became salary based in July. Initial salary of $35k a year, still living at home to avoid rent and food. I only get 5 days of paid vacation my first year of employment at this place. Unfortunately I have to use 3 days already in November due to a family reunion that I had no say in whatsover, so that leaves me 2 days until July of next year of vacation. This sucks.
This is one of the other problems of jobs nowadays in the US. People get that "at least you/I have a job" mindset. We work our asses off in something that we might not even enjoy for a crappy salary that's not enough to live comfortably if you were to live on your own. And then we have crappy vacation time to top it off. And our bosses don't realize this at all because all they care about is MONEY MONEY MONEY, and then look down upon us employees if we take time off...
Our bosses are the ones at fault for the whole "In this economy, at least you have a job." Yes at least I have a job. But I'm miserable because I'm tired after work, and I have to do this 5 times a week for 12 months, minus maybe 2 weeks total of vacation (including Holidays.)
Working five days a week is called full time and most adults have to work that much in America. Here is the bright side, you are a recent grad and this is a job that you can gain experience at so when you are ready to move on you have financial stability, since you have a job, and experience. You can also start looking at working for yourself, but I will warn you that most people who own their own business rarely go on vacation the first few years and they work much more then five days a week.
On your eresume does it say whines a lot and is a chronic complainer. ungrateful little snot, move to another country that gives more vacation time and open up the job to someone else. Whiney little punk.
What a whinny little brat – I graduated from College in the 70s- now that was a real recession . Grow up punk!
Good to see Mr. Zakaria is still making very valid points concerning pretty much anything. On a side note, it's kinda funny to see everybody getting baited by the local troll.
I thought this local troll's insult humor was hilarious. He would make a great comedian like Don Rickles. He "insulted" me and I thought it was very funny.
If the billing industry takes some vacation from sending bills yeah why not! Other than that I can not afford to lose my house!
Hey Fareed,
Thanks a lot. Because of you and your necon friends and policy makers buddies are so quick to always send guys like me and my friends to war we get to travel all the time and see different cultures and peoples.
Semper Fi
lol, yeah like wal-mart will go for 3 weeks of vacation right off the bat, you need to slave for 7 years before you get that privilege.
We work more out of loneliness is my guess.
Hey americans, don't "fight" yourselves ... I mean, come on! Don't fight even "someone"... we "true" germans really invite you to "Take a vacation!" – for the headline given as "GIVEN" – or "truth", maybe it seems "hard" for some of you to take, but WE REALLY INVITE YOU TO OUR COUNTRY !!!! YOU ARE *VERY* WELCOME !!!! Maybe our island of sylt will attract you? It really is a BEAUTIFUL place, NO JOKE! I'm taking the "headline", please TAKE A VACATION – forget the "crisis" for some time and BE INVITED !!!! Please visit our country, please visit europe AT ALL !!!! We ALL are ONE, so please BE INVITED !!!! - *NO* joke, *NO* irony - herman the german !
Germany? You have got to be kidding?? my ancestors came to this this Country to get away from Europe. I would never disgrace my ancestors by setting foot in Europe.
Back in th early 1900's Americans worked 6 full days a year. By the 40's we worked 5 1/2 days per week. Vacations and holidays are not part of our American culture. We are a of people who work hard and do not expect anything in return except decent pay for a decent day's work. I do not want to be like Europe – we are America – and we should be working.
Fareed, maybe American should take their vacation, but it's not going to help the economy. You cite Italy, you should know their economy is in the tank, why would we copy them.
@mary: ABSOLUTELY understandable. But even "modern medicine" says, or "states" that "some pause" or "pausing" REALLY HELPS ... as "time for recreation" - And, as I said or wrote - YOU *ARE* very, very WELCOME !!!!
If CNN wanted to help society, they'd do us all a favor and disable comments to their news stories.
@Reality: Hmmm ... ??!?
Hey Fareed, stuff your liberal ideology, quit comparing us to other countries ways of life. This is America and it doesn't need to be emulating other countries. By the way where are you from, why don't you go there and make suggestions to your own country and take your liberal ideas with you.
Tell that to our American employers - especially in this hiring climate. We are reaping what we sowed.
We have 9+% unemployment and our job market does not provide 30+ vacation days, nor do most have the money to take a vacation. Most of us are working BECAUSE WE HAVE TO. We are being paid less for the same work a decade ago, or can't find a job that our education qualifies us for. And to use Europe as an example right now would be rather foolish considering they are on the brink of collapsing. I'm glad you have the time and money for a vacaton Fareed. Take one and go talk to some real people, see if you can figure out why we are showing up for overtime when we can
AMEN to that (and that's not a religious amen btw)
@mary: Yes, our own people feel "vertored" somehow ... by our own idiot from 70-80 years in the past, WE KNOW THAT! But ... it is NOT US, truely. I personally feel ashamed that "old evil" ghosts of ours still are amongst other people – just because of ONE IDIOT ... If only we could be able to "overcome" prejudices ... to look back "further" or "more far" in time ...
Sincerely ...
R U talking about Hilter? It was not one man that killed 6,000,000 Jews, Catholics and Gypsies. It did not take even a village – it took an entire Country of people. Our ancestors came to this country to flee religous warfare and the poverty that was all Europe could offer. My great grandmother came to this Country in 1911 from Sarejevo with only the change in her purse but she was determined that her last son would not fight for the King and would not die in a needless religous war. My grandfather vowed never to speak that language again and at 12 years old went to work in an American factory. This is my legacy and as a proud American and as 9/11 comes to pass in a few short days – America is the best and only nation in the world – God Bless America.
Fareed: Nice break from the usual pro-illegal alien, pro-socialism stories. Of course, you DO know that, unlike Europe where governments set vacation schedules, Americans are at the mercy of their employer's vacation package, right? And even your Euro-fixation hasn't blinded you to the fact that the quickest way to lose a job is for someone to tell their employer they're taking off for weeks on end, right?
I guess the higher end of the average includes those in the Hamptons.
Another issue is that when people take their vacation, their work piles up. So when they return from vacation, the work actually doubled and twice the amount of stress to do catch up work and get all the things done.
More days off yes and an extra hour for lunch working hours are now 8-6 rather than 8-5 with 12-2 off for siesta! Seriously for anyone who has ever lived in a Latin country knows this is the way to go.
Fareed.....I find your articles very interesting and thought provoking but your latest article had me r o t f l m hiney o.
I stopped reading after the first paragraph and LOL...."he's gotta be kidding" and did not bother to read on.
Fareed Zakaria is completely out of touch with reality. Anyone in the US who takes a vacation will be promptly fired. I know for a fact that I'll never take a vacation again for the rest of my working life.
who is oppressing you like that
they need their "asses whipped"
The issue, for most people is not about taking time off for vacation.... But sometimes the possibility of loosing your job while you are on vacation.. At this economic crunch time there are employees willing to work a 52 week work schedule. Why be the person who takes a break and comes back to find you lost your job cause of it. Its better to suffer working those unending hours
Most people are forgetting reasons that Americans should be taking more vacations. The people who take vacations are more likely to spend money on vacation than when they are at home!!!
What if I'm from Boston and I spend my vacation money in San Antonio???
What you said is bs = the fact is that there are no decent jobs with decent benefits anymore.
Obama should get his advisors from Labor, NOT executives who only care about profits!
You could stay close to Boston, Go to Cape Cod for a day. The idea is to increase spending, and when a person is on vacation, they are more likely to spend money. What the big corporations don't get is that by increasing wages and benefits, the benefit will eventually come back to them in the long term.
Perhaps, Shareed, you make enough money to take time off without pay. Actually, since you more than likely NOT work by the hour – shoot, work is like taking time off!!
Me, I work (after having NOT worked for over two years. Yeah, one of those 'stopped looking for work' which is an INSANE concept. Once you has dropped off the unemployment compensation rolls, YOU DON NOT STOP LOOKING FOR WORK!!!) Phew. Had to get that off my chest. This whole 'stopped looking for work' is a bunch of BS – just 'cause you are no longer eligible for UI does NOT mean you stop looking for work! I'm an example.
I got this job in januari 2011. Temp to Perm. 3 months to permanent. I've been here 9 months now. No talk of becoming permanent, just some BS.
In these 9 months of TEMPING, apparently I've accrued TWO days, yes TWO days of paid time off. TWO DAYS.
So you're idea of having people take time off IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.
Perhaps YOU can afford that – I can't.
I'm supporting my Wife (who's not recognized by anyone as being my wife) and who's 56 yo. black, and who the hell do you think is gonna hire her when there's 18 years olds doing the same thing for much less!
I'm working right now for less than 2/3 of what I used to make, yet I'm supporting 2 people from that.
You, Mr. Zakaria, much like most in Congress, need to step out of your very privileged position and try and actually find out what most people go through.
I'd LOVE to take a vacation: I cannot afford to, I'll lose my home.
I think that you are mis-interpreting what Zakaria is trying to say : The American working person has allowed himself to be utterly duped by Extremist Conservative GoP proipaganda and political philosophy, which uses personal greed and personal fear of others to support their economic program - Which is designed to gradually destroy the Middle Class in America and turn us ALL into serfs. . They are making "wonderful" progress. .
One of their Maximum Fear words is SOCIALISM - And most of us siily, dumb, pathetic Americans fall right over for that lie and swallow it down WHOLE. . It would be COMICAL were it not so sad ! ! ! . They endlessly tout Freedom and Liberty - Yeah - F & L for THEM, only for them - and then servitude for the rest of us.
I Could not agree with you more!!!! I love it how some elitists like to blame middle America for all the mistakes of the economy crisis...and live in a bubble where nothing can hurt them and be so detached and disassociated with reality of the working class. .when most of the middle America was working it but off just to keep there job because if you do get laid off – chances are you wont find a job for over a year..those of you who act like there are enough jobs to go around – you are the elites few who are so far detached from real America you have no IDEA what it is really like standing in line of HUNDREDS of People just to receive meager food assistance or unemployment..
I DO think Americans have always been overworked and think even in this crisis, the man that is hungry has more stress then a man with a JOB. IT may seem like a UNEMPLOYED Person has time or a vacation , but this is Bull...the people that have family's and are struggling are so uber stressed out that they can not sleep – not enough food to eat...and every hour that drags by, every resume that you send out and every job that turns you down makes you feel like you got kicked in the pride..
And here we are, in the land of opportunity, laughing at the French.
@mary: Everything is understandable for me ... but why your "aggresiveness" ?!!? I mean, we now have 2011, and yes, we know the former yugoslavia, we have been there often for holiday, and I LOVED it ... but shouldn't we take the chance for a "new" all-together-mindedness ??!? Of course, you *CAN* have other thoughts or feelings – but these are mine ...
... and yes, I *personally* adore the "american dream", too ...
And the conservative right wants to get rid of the unions altogether. The unions made the middle-class and vacations possible.
If I could always get my news from a Sand Ni&&er that looks like Skeletor I would be a richer man.
Fareed, what are you doing? This article is VAPID. I'm all for vacation, but as someone that has worked all over the world, and has waited for many a person to get back from vacation so I can get things done, I have to say you have completely lost your mind. Less vacation = more work gets done. Period. Get a real job and you'll know what I mean.
If unrest in Europe caused by people that think 45 days paid vacation a year is just not enough is your goal.. then it's going just fantastic!!
Gee – There is no vacation from being unemployed and struggling because there are no jobs. Get Real!
Just got paid...spent 97% of it already on rent, groceries, and a tank of gas, and have $58 left for 2 weeks! Mr. Zakaria, you need to take a hike!
Money is as worthless as the paper it's made from; it only represents the Means of Obtaining what is Truely Valuable to you. More money more problems.... burn baby burn!!
I'm sorry I'm such a loser The truth is that I have no life and I ran out of diapers. It smells in here and I have no one to talk to...
I need a vacation.
Thanks to Obama, we dont have jobs to take a vacation from!!! Maybe Obama should take less vacations so that Americans can have be able to have some leadership from the President and we can go on vacation.
guys. believe it or not! me and my sister just got two i-pads for forty bucks each and a $ 50 amazon card for $ 9. the stores want to keep this a secret and they dont tell you.-Go here C ool C ent. c om
This guy is clearly out of touch. Most people who still have a job can't afford or don't dare to take time off even if they want to. Employers are laying off people and doubling the work on the rest. They use meaningless slogans like "work smarter, not harder", or "think outside the box" to goad employees into putting up with the workload. People fear taking time off will make them look "lazy", and slated for the next layoff. And when they do take vacation, they'll bring their laptop and phone with them and continue to work.
Zakaria's advice is wrong. It should be directed at employers, not employees. He thinks Americans don't want to take break. That shows how out of touch he is.
I agree with "out of touched". its just CNN's efforts in making us more Europeans.
Yes, American workers need vacation. But, American employers are THE problem. Not the employees.
Oh don't be so damn selfish. Take a nice long vacation and give someone else a turn at a/your job.
dont be afraid to lose your job
you can get a different one
maybe a better one
don't let fear control you too much
How dare you!
You are a self-aggrandized fool from a non-working part of the world. How dare you pass judgement on the few Americans who make enough to pay federal income tax! Until you truthfully and honestly declare that the US government should spend HALF of what it currently squanders, we overworked Americans cannot listen to your nonsense. Any reduction in work will result in the utter financial collapse of the United States.
Idiots prevail at CNN.
TomTheTaxPayer
For everyone who blames the president for all the faults we have made Most are not his fault the congresss decides if we go to war if the congress does not want to go to war, change taxes ect. then the president cant change that he can veto but if alot of the congress wants it passed it will get passed and the president will get the blame.
If Obama wants to make our life better he has to get congress to pass the law first if congress doesnt want it then he willl get blame for not doing anything
Fareed Zakaria is a complete tool. I may start watching CNN again once he leaves.
very well thought out, Mr. Rogers....you tool!
We fought the revolutionary war so we didn't have to be like Europeans anymore. We worked hard and our dream used to simply be to buy our own home and be able to pay for the basics. That is what made this country great is with hard work. Sure vacations are good for people and we all need them, but Americans work hard and have much more dirve than Europeans which makes them suceed in life instead of expecting everything to be handed to them by the government or businesses.
Define success. Is it to have precious time, which is finite for everyone, to spend with family and friends, to go on trips, to do things you want to do. Or is it to work day in day out with no respite, so that you can have a bigger SUV and big screen TV, and a heart attack at 45?
I would just like to have the money to pay bills on time, maybe even pay them off. No vacation for me in the forseeable future.
Dude, if we got more vacation, than dammit we would take it. Its not so easy to just tell your boss "hey i am going to take 42 days off. I will be back in such and such time."
That's all well and good, but you are barking up the wrong tree. Until the system itself changes and people don't live in fear of losing their low paying jobs and being at the mercy of a tenuous unemployment system, nothing will change. The only people I know who have decent vacation pay or benefits work for a union and we are definitely going backwards in that regard. Even those people get three weeks maximum for vacation time. I get a lot of time off but I don't get paid for it, a simple life is what is needed in my situation and unfortunately, even when I have time off, I can't afford a real vacation away from home. Sorry, dude, just a bit unrealistic. Great idea though, too bad it is so unrealistic given our current economic climate. It's not getting better any time soon.
Well Said Mr.Zakaria! I could not agree more . We must stop living like robots and employers must start treating their employees with more respect (by reducing the pressure in a workplace due to several reasons). We must learn to LIVE and not EXIST.
Good luck with that. Employers do not have to pay or treat employees better, there are a gazillion out of work and your boss is reminding you of that on a daily basis.
Some reason why Americans can't take a vacation, they got bills up the ying-yang to pay, or single parent working 2 jobs, or can't afford it, or unemployed. And if they take a vacation, they think about work, because they get bored of their vacation.
Who can afford a vacation? I am barely staying in my house and buying gas, paying utilities and food.
Amen, sister.
IT ISN'T FRIGGIN ITALY WE ARE COMPETING WITH. They're more bankrupt that we are!
IT'S CHINA! CHINA! CHINA! WORK, WORK, WORK. 16 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week. 1 or 2 weeks off for Spring Festival.
"some experts believe that working harder might actually depress productivity numbers" ??, You've gone off the deep end of marginalism this time Fareed.
-Greg Autry, co-author of Death by China
I think I will stay home and make my own clothes
it's fun, makes me proud, it's cheaper and
Less work for
china
yeah if i wanted to live in a socialist country i'd move to france, thanks man for your socialist propaganda
tool (of the rich)
Who the hell can afford to have a vacation today?! God, if only, and I need one badly. And if I could afford to take a vacation, what place offers 2 weeks vacation nowadays?!!!
I normally agree with Zakaria, but not here. The last thing I want to do is to take a cue from Europe. Things don't seem to be going well over there.
But this is nothing new, you are just looking at the current economic situation. Europe has always had lots of vacation days.
yeah, they are so great here, though!
Yeah, the last thing Americans should want is to have more time to spend with family and friends.
These comments are crazy. You don't want more time to relax with your family. Taking a vacation doesn't have to mean airline tickets, 5 star hotels, Vegas, Hawaii, or whatever destination you have in mind. You don't have to go into debt to take a vacation. These European countries have vacation time written into their laws. The companies have to give this amount of paid vacation time to each employee by law. They can't lose their jobs because of it. I'm a proud American, but that doesn't mean we can't look to other societies and perhaps admit that their system is maybe better in some areas. How can you not agree that 35 days of protected paid vacation to be with your family is not a good thing.
Silly, I have to cash in my vacation time... after the stock market wiping out our retirement fund, and my company going out of business that I was going to retire from in 7 years, trying to keep up with my mortgage and other bills without being late.... you really think I can afford to take any time off? Every nickle I get extra goes into trying to get my retirement fund built up again so I can retire at 70!!!!!!
....and all of those things were caused by ...... republican big business. thank you, thank you, thank you very much.
By the time an Americans working in the Tech industry goes for vacation and come back their position might not be existing and the job might have be outsourced to india...
People think the Foxconn workers are over stressed, with 14 suicides in a year. But it works out to be 3.3 suicides per 100,000 workers at the taiwanese company for the number they have working for them in China. In the US, the rate is 11.1 suicides per 100,000. Hmmm....
So let me understand this... we like so many others lost our retirement fund in our 401K with the housing bubble/wall street debacle, my company I was to retire from in a few years went out of business and I was layed off, I went back to school, retrained and just now got a job again, and we're still peddling to catch up after keeping our mortgage and other bills from being late, I can't retire till I'm in my 70's now, and you want me to take a vacation, are you nuts???!!! You go take a vacation!!!
Yes, we want you to take a vacation, then look for a new job with a stable track record and quit whining.
I'll take a vacation when I don't have to take my shoes off, be photographed naked, and have my genitals groped first.
I was born and raised in France. When I was a kid my grandmother used to say that laziness was the mother of all vices. It didn't mean anything to me at the time, but I soon realized how ugly the French culture of selfish laziness was. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
America's main problem is all these international elitists who tried to make her more European.
Thats until you move to the USA... then you're like 'I le miss my siesta franch holidays!" "Mamaa!"
Fareed hit a nerve, wow. Lot's of Americans take like real BIG offense to them being more like Europeans. I know many have stereotypes, but you all need to travel a bit more. Eesh.
Don't you just love working 55/60 hrs a wk and because you're called "salaried" you get paid for 40 hrs? Then, the rich corporate banking/financial execs use fraud, etc, to, in effect, steal the equity in your house? They have too much money though and are untouchable by our money controlled judicial system. In the US you get the justice you can pay for. Let a middle-class person do what they did and they would definitely go to prison. I for one am sick of the double standard that the rich enjoy in this country. They buy the politicians, get welfare that is called "bush tax cuts" and "tax loopholes". If you are not ultra-rich in the US you are a peasant.
Yo, Fareed, you throw some money my way for that vacation and I'll take it. Otherwise, I'll have to save my money for rising fuel and food prices.
This is a capitalist country. Only capitalists take a vacation. If you do not like it, start your own business or move to a third world country where work can be outsourced to you and you get those vacations as well. If you stay in the US, they will use leverage against you and threaten invisibly to lay you off or stifle your growth or cut off your trainings or not invite you to meetings. I learnt this the bitter way when they called me in the middle of my wedding and were upset when I would not respond.
That's because everyone who saves their money is a capitalist by definition. To go on vacation you need to save your money. Ergo, all people who take a vacation are capitalists.
Fareed, this is a desperate request: Please, please, please get rid of the comments section on your articles. The comments left here are only a step up in quality from ones left on YouTube videos... *Sigh*
Who the hell is "Fareed Zakaria", and why is he telling me what to do?
it's not that we don't want to use our vacation time its that when we do put in its either not approved or an excuse is made about not being able to get coverage. why don't you do a story on how these so called employers presser the workers not to take time off.
American take vacations while they are on the job. FMLA, work comp, STD, LTD – Americans WORK at trying to get time off and look for ways to do less and still expect to get paid, nos they "deserve" to get paid and want a raise to boot. We are a whiney lazy people who have forgotten how to take pride in working hard (without snivelinig about it).
The reason many don't take vacations in this country is because we are slaves to the Man. If we do take time off, they are looking to get rid of us and replace us in a shallow breath.
Having seen European, American and Asian work cultures first hand, I must say I prefer the American. Although there are less paid holidays, the work culture is more relaxed and laid back than Asian. While Europe may have more paid holidays, the highly socialistic setups in those nations, make work far less rewarding as the uniquely high taxes are draconion, and freedom to grow or change in careers is extremely limited. Yes, dear Americans you have less holidays, but enjoy lower taxes, higher salaries, and a healthier work environment. You can afford to have unpaid holidays. Do not compare yourselves with Europeans or Asians, you are a class apart. Count your blessings, do take short recommended breaks to catch your breath, and enjoy your work refreshed again.
Fareed is as clueless a boob as Obama.
Hey Fareed, what are we going to use for money on that VACATION?????
20 million people out of work and this clown says go on vacation.
Now we know who Obama listens to.
How about everybody working part time and share the jobs?
I would love to take more time off but my job requires a qualified person to replace me when I am at work. My employer is such a cheapskate that they will not pay the overtime for someone else to replace me so I only get a day off when there is excess personnel. This usually happens in the dead of winter when my kids are in school. Most people I work with call in sick. That is the only way they can get the days off that they want. My job sucks. ( I also rarely get a weekend day off )
Yeh, America! Wish I could get a job after 2 years of unemployment. 15 Million unemployed had enough vacation and itching for work.
Maybe we Europeans are simply prepared to accept a lower material standard of living in order to have a better quality of life?
You mean there is more to life than money and work?? OH MY GOD.
Fareed, I generally agree with your point about working too much and as a consequence observing decreasing returns to productivity. I think, however, that the major divide between America and Europe is the combination of long vacations with a very stiff labor market in Europe, which means that the system becomes incredibly expensive and rigid. If you have a labor force that is pretty much protected from job insecurity (like in France), you'd naturally observe people taking a lot more vacations. The downside is obviously that getting a job in France is considerably harder than getting a job in the US, as was evidenced by the protests last year. I would never suggest that America follows the job security laws in France, because that would stifle the economy in a really bad way, but we need to control for other things when assessing why Americans take so few days off. A final point is that while I do believe in decreasing marginal returns, it is hard to know exactly when they start to kick in.
Is it all about progress in the economy, or economic well being of Americans, or is it about improving the lives of Americans, with job security, longer vacations without threat of firing, and better benefits? If you are on the side of the economy, then you are believing the lies the corporations and Republicans are spreading. If you are on the side of Labor, then you are lazy because most workers expect the capitalist government to stick up for us without having to lift a finger or stage a rally or protest, or walk out.
"Hey, America: Take a vacation!"
Obama got that message before you even made it.
Fareed, go peddle your intellectualized socialist garbage someplace else. This is America.
Uh, that's called freedom of speech. Where else could he do that but in a free country like ours? I'm an American and I say rattle on Fareed!! My values are not so tenuous as to be shaken by a comment on CNN, hence the lack of fear and anger at what you say.
We forget that American workers are some of the most productive in the world, work more hours, take less vacation and as a result made this the richest country in the world. China has billions but has half our GPA while we have 300 million and have a 15 trillion dollar GPA. US Corporations (who pay NO TAXES in some cases) and offshore our jobs should take a measure of what American workers do BETTER than foreigners with half the education. Its about RESPECTING innovating American minds and giving Americans jobs and vacations and the money they deserve because their the ones that make Wall Street and Big Business trillions of dollars!!!!
Great point, Sir!
I was reading an article about reducing work hours to increase employment participation. Big business said that this would destroy the economy and return us to recession/depression. The argument never changes over time. It was written in the 1930's and they wanted to reduce the work week to (I think) 50 hours, after which they would need to pay overtime. At that time it was not unusual to work 6 days per week just to pay for the roof and food. The economy survived and florished as employment grew to fill the gap and the middle class grew. In the past 30 years, productivity (output per hour worked) as grown tremendously while the average worker has not see the benefit.
Pseudo-intellectual Zakaria is obviously blissfully unaware of the reality on the ground for American workers. Finding a full time job is the pressing reality for tens of millions – not the lack of vacation time. He is several decades late in his observation which should have been addressed while the economy was doing well – if at all.
We've seen how well the less-productive Europeans have done! Has Zakaria heard of the euro crisis? Great economic model to praise. Enjoy your permanent holiday time – greek workers!
I am certain the sweet spot lies somewhere in between.
Jon,
Well said. Most working people are terrified that tomorrow will bring a job loss. This article seems a little tone deaf in terms of the economic reality in this country.
Vacations in Europe are protected unlike in this country. Take a vacation in the States and management will fire you in the private sector. I did my time in the private sector and no more.
Given the present state of the US economy and US unemployment it doesn't look like working harder and not taking vacations has made the US any better than those in the Eurozone.
Agree! Is it that hard to see that the capitalist, big business republicans are the ones not making use of their MBA and making more jobs? How is it the governments job to do that?
Remember when the work day was 9-5?
It's sad how brain-washed the average American worker is today. Here we have undeniable proof that big business (republicans) are screwing you and some of these idiots are defending them.. Unbelievable.
Something that also needs to be considered:
A LOT of Americans are out of work. Whomever wrote this article, did they forget that fact?
The problem isn't that I don't want to take vacation, it is that I need a larger severance package. Many of those that work for me and that I work with view vacation as a safety net against layoffs. The company has had several layoffs and the severance package is "generous" in the company's mind but if you have put in 10, 15 and 20 years for the company; there is nothing about the severance package or getting laid off that makes it generous.
take a vacation, dude. you seem like a dog chasing a car....what will you do if you catch it? Hmmmm.... I bet you were like this with the OJ trial, weren't you.
Wow after reading comments like these. How can you guys not escape destruction. You have read a very intelligent and well thought out comments by "Fareed Zakaria" and the majority of you, call him a moron. You guys are totally crazy. I thank God, that I'm not an American. Thank God
Agreed! Most if not all of these clowns vote republican.
This moron needs a looooong vacation. I know it sure helped when Obama took a vacation....sorry, campaign break. How many million in taxes were spent then? So let's all go on vacation and help the country. What an idiot. This guy couldn't write for a high school newsletter.
Not only do Americans get less vacation days, we also tend not to take our full two weeks at one time, because someone at the office might steal our job when we’re gone, or we might appear to be dispensable and then get fired upon return to work. You know out-of-sight, out-of-mind, out-of-work…..
exactly.
Mr. Zakaria completely ignores the regulatory and contractual differences that the American and the European worker operate under.
Most Americans operate within an 'At-Will" employment arrangement. Americans are afforded only minimal regulatory protection, and contracts for the rank and file are nonexistent or in the interest of the employer. The typical French or German worker operates in a highly regulated framework. The are mandated to take a certain amount of vacation lest the employer be fined. Further, they operate under complex contractual agreements that provide mutual protection and the expectation that employment is long-term.
Apply these incentives and the American worker takes on risks when vacationing that the European doesn't. The incentive in Europe is for the employer to impose vacation time.
However, it is exactly the lack of regulation in the US that allows for American Dynamism. The employer expands and contracts as needed and relatively quickly does away with less-productive workers. On the other hand, the American worker is free to shed himself of an employment relationship on short or no notice. This too is impossible in Europe where the typical German is expected to give 3 – 6 months notice.
With different cultures, histories and regulations you cannot just simply tell Americans to vacation more. Its just not that simple.
My wife and I don't make enough money to take vacations, not to mention that my job gives a limited amount a time off that is always wrapped up in losing it to illness or car or home issues that take time and money. So stick your vacations in you file cabinet and find something else to complain about. Consumers aren't tissue, business and politicians make the rules of economy and employment. If they want us to spend, pay more and charge less. It's that simply.
I live on a shoestring budget as well and don't have any paid vacation time. But when I do take a vacation it's not a getaway vacation, but a chance to take care of me and loved ones, nurture the family unit and pursue creative and recreational stuff,. what is wrong with that. If our corporations were required to honor workers rights, we would all be so much happier. Right now we work in what is rapidly becoming a plutocracy where the needs of the wealthiest are served on the backs of the rapidly shrinking middle class.
I am amused by many of the comments here, especially the ones who claim that vacation is "for sissies". This story needs to be seen from two sides. To understand the point here, look at productivity statistics worldwide. If little or no vacation leads to higher productivity, the US should lead all productivity statistics, right? Well, the fact is that the US is behind some of the countries where people have more vacation if it comes to productivity. And the reason is simple. Without time to reload your batteries you are not performing at 100%. The problem is that greedy CEOs don't care as long as their wallets are filled. Our country is run by greed and this leads us from crisis to crisis.
Fareed is a know-nothing gasbag. If the working people (unlike you Fareed) could take their vacation days without being fired or thrown under the bus, I think they would take it! Ugly man stop talking.
OK Guy Smiley. If they had an unlike button here I would use it.
Gee Barbara. That was really worth saying huh? Gee way to add substance here. I'm sure you agree with this insane BS from Fareed...
There sure are a lot of Trolls on this thread.
My wife and I don't make enough money to take vacations, not to mention that my job gives a limited amount a time off that is always wrapped up in losing it to illness or car and home issues that take time and money. So stick your vacations in you file cabinet and find something else to complain about. Consumers aren't the issue. Business owners, execs and politicians make the rules of economy and employment. If they want us to spend more, they need to pay more and charge less. It's that simple.
If unrest in Europe caused by people that think 45 days paid vacation a year is just not enough is your goal.. then it's going just fantastic!!
September 4, 2011 at 10:21 pm | Reply
halito
Gee – There is no vacation from being unemployed and struggling because there are no jobs. Get Real!
September 4, 2011 at 10:25 pm | Reply
pat
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN
IMPEACH OBAMA NOW
September 4, 2011 at 10:35 pm | Reply
pat
I know the solution to all this but you people probably wouldn't wanna hear it
September 4, 2011 at 10:43 pm | Reply
pat
what's the difference between Obama, Bachmann, Romney, and the falling U.S. dollar?
..the dollar was once worth something...
September 4, 2011 at 10:47 pm | Reply
Lisa
Just got paid...spent 97% of it already on rent, groceries, and a tank of gas, and have $58 left for 2 weeks! Mr. Zakaria, you need to take a hike!
September 4, 2011 at 11:06 pm | Reply
Mike R
Money is as worthless as the paper it's made from; it only represents the Means of Obtaining what is Truely Valuable to you. More money more problems.... burn baby burn!!
September 4, 2011 at 11:12 pm | Reply
Airmail56
Don't worry about obama suing 17 major Banks in the middle of a recession. Who cares about his stonewa
stop typing like idiots
stop
world peace
Lets all remember that this is the same reporter who did a story because a toy robot had a tape of jokes he could deliver built into him.
In a time that hasn't had any economic certainty....so i should take vacations in the middle of depressions? This is the biggest depression since THE depression. Quit feeding me news that serves no purpose. Every man, woman, and child should do their part to help bolster the economy.
During my career, I rarely took off more than a few days. Then, I took a two week vacation. Turns out that during that vacation, the company finally built up the guts to get rid of me. I was let go one week after my return.
Then, at my next company, after two years of working there, I again took a two week vacation. There I got a phone call in the second week of my vacation to inform me I was let go.
I would like to stress that at the first company, I was not let go because of bad performance but of poking the tiger in the eye one too many times (i.e. I never respected my otherwise terrible boss at that company). So that is where the boss made his retaliatory move when I was not around to defend myself with HIS boss. At the second company, we went through a mass lay-off after the 2008 crash.
The morale of the story? if you value your job, you better stick around at the office when things get tough. Because when you are not there to defend yourself, they will pick you first when the need for lay-offs arises.
Almost every American knows this instintively; the US is a place where people can be fired very easily, in contrast to Europe where it is almost impossible to get rid of an employee. So THAT, and nothing else, is the reason why Americans don't take vacations.
Would that Americans could take more vacation time! Until our government becomes more enlightened (as European governments are) and takes it obligations to the ordinary citizen more seriously and mandates vacation time for ALL employees (including part-time) and makes it hard for business to fire people (so many are afraid to take time off for fear they will lose their job), the vacation situation in this country will not change.
Fareed is an idiot who is far removed from the average working american. And he is just plain UGLY!
Wow – Your comment gets the price for the dumbest remark of the week by far. Fareed is one of the few people in today's media who actually have a brain. His analysis are always right on the money, not in the least because the guy makes an effort to not just look within the US borders for the facts, but also at what actually happens outside of our borders. What I see in the news in terms of pundits and talking heads these days is for 90% a bunch of clowns (with Fox News hitting the 100% mark with ease). Fareed is a breath of fresh air in the midst of all that. If you do not recognize that, it says a whole lot more about your stupidity than that it says anything about hiim.
If they travel to the "ISLA de la Revolución Cucaracha" (BRAZIL), they´ll be eaten by monkeys!! I saw it on CNN, or, maybe, the simpsons...
If I take a vacation, my employer will know how "lazy and unnecessary" I am and either eliminate my job, ship it overseas (already done with some in my group) or downsize me and re-hire me as a contractor with no benefits.
@abcd – yeah, I know those guys, they keep a bottle of booze in the drawer and pinch attractive butts (his and hers). They are real princes. "poor widdle fings" (pouty lip)
hey zakaria!
you are a "phony"
just like your imagined "global perspective" is a phony reflection of your national history
just like phony islam is a poor rewrite of the Christian Bible, not a real religious inspired writing
well, maybe someday you and they will catch up, but until then, I won't believe you
Americans are simply over-worked and it is contra productive! Taking a good vacation is a way to recharge your Divine battery. Can't afford it? Come on, stop buying junk stuffs, save your money for a little vacation and you'll be back home refreshed. Your body, mind and spirit will thank you! Just stop buying junks (which are made in China) and keep your garage free from stuffs (which are made in China, again!) that you never need. Sounds familiar?
Have we thought that perhaps our overworking is also contributing to our over consumption as compared to the rest of the world? Think about it, what does more vacation time do? I personally think that it increases a sense of well being, it makes us more rested and often it grounds us so that we do not feel that we are out of control or overworked.
So if we took more vacation time we would, I think, be happier and less prone to thinking that buying cheap goods at an alarming rate will bring us that oh so coveted happiness we all seek. Also, I think this point is backed up by the fact that working so much contributes to us being exhausted. We then watch countless hours of tv because we are too tired to do other things.
And us watching more tv then the rest of the world means that we are exposed to more advertising then any other nation in the world – and perhaps this is the reason why we consume so much more then the rest of the world.
So from a personal well being standpoint it makes sense to take more vacation time. We see that depression is on the rise and our overworking surely is not helping combat the problem. But another deeper factor remains, our overworking and overconsumption interrelation is bringing the fragile world out of balance.
Yes, we must consume goods but do we really need to consume the magnitude of goods that we find ourself seeking collectively? In 50 years time the population on the earth will be much greater then it is today and we all know that natural resources are finite. By taking more vacation time we hopefully will not feel the need to be such gluttons of consumption and we will in addition be doing the world a favor by not over-consuming natural resources which the world needs to support the surplus of people that will be born in the coming years.
This, I think, is an American responsibility: to curtail consumption for the sake of the entire world having enough resources in the future.
Three points:
1. Many of you are missing the point: Fareed is saying Americans should pressure their government to mandate more paid vacation.
2. As a proud American who still lives in the U.S., and will never leave it, but also speaks French fluently and Spanish half-fluently, I strongly believe Europeans and Europhiles greatly exaggerate about the virtues of European life, but I do agree that their governments and businesses have figured out a way to create healthy economies that give the workers plenty of paid time off.
3. I imagine that the surveys of both Americans and people in other parts of the world did not take private contractors into account. My dad is a general contractor, and even though he usually works five-and-a-half or six days a week, he goes on vacation for about two months out of the year, total.
This article is utter nonsense. I have lived in all the mentioned countries and can tell you this copy and paste from Wikipedia is trash. A country might have holidays written into law, but it does not mean you get them. I’m currently working in South Korea and have not had a day off in 6 months. Now I’ve got that out of my system I will get back to my miserable existence. Enjoy your time off America!
I would love to go on vacation...
But i NEED A JOB!!!
they tell us to take vacations but how will we pay for it with no job? Credit lol that would make the country alot better?
Need to pay the banks back with money we dont have?
Most Americans would love to take a long vacation to spend more time with their loved ones but Corporate America won't allow it . Example, Walgreens employs 244,000, lets say that the average gets two weeks vacation. If Walgreens decides to offer four weeks vacation like the UK than they have to pay an average of $ 1000 in two weeks which would bring the total to about 244 million dollars. Simple math for dummies
Didn't George tell us to go on vacation after the 9/11 attacks?
All you folks who think life is all work work work are nuts. Your time here on earth are limited and your family should be the most important things in life. I have never seen a headstone that read "worked 80 hour weeks like a champ". Does it really matter once your done and gone all the stuff and and debt you collected?. Stand up for yourself America, dont let the corporate tyrants control your life!.
This is part of our legacy from slavery. Our slaves had few days off.
Who wants a vacation, you keep them. Just let me keep my gun and guzzeler Hummer.That's the American way.
Democrat or Republican you gotta be kidding me. We need to work less to be better? Yeah that works about as well as spending your way out of debt. I mean really. For one thing how many people even have jobs they can get any paid vacation at all? I went to college and got my associates degree only to get out and find the economy was sucking even more than I went in. I have take jobs like gas station attendant and production worker to get by even though I'm qualified for much more. I'm sick of suffering because some pretty boy in the White House either does not understand what the heck he is doing or that he thinks he knows better than his advisors and is intentionally driving us into the ground because he thinks he has a great idea to raise a phoenix from the ashes.
Im no pro, but I suppose you just made the best point. You clearly know what youre talking about, and I can truly get behind that. Thanks for staying so upfront and so honest.
The idiocy and closed-mindedness of the comments on RIUVA still make me laugh, even a year after they've been up.
I never said you were greedy (others have) I am just saying that many of you aren't as good of teachers as you claim. If you lose this strike that will be even worse for the kids because now others have stereotypes of our community and they will never consider teaching here.AS for Hayward Special Ed. Teacher- you don't know what we go through every day. How hard we fight for our kids and try to help out the school and how unreceptive our teachers teaching' our kids are. So of course I don't know you- but you don't know me either.It's also ridiculous to say we can't fight for ourselves? of course you can...too bad you weren't smart enough to figure out a way without harming the kids. Many parents do support you and you repay them by helping there kids fail school? I sure hope those highschoolers in ap classes don't fail this year! If they have to take summer classes that would really suck....remember your last summer before college? Wasn't it supposed to be a time to be a kid and to be carefree before you move on to the next step in life?absolutely ridiculous.boo hoo to you.by the way I notice some teachers were writing here during the day during the week. Aren't you supposed to be out there on the picket line supporting your fellow teachers?
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