How many days does the average American take off from work per year?

[justhat]

I don't work, but my husband gets 10 weeks of vacation a year. No real sick days, they would likely just come from his vacation days, but you would be allowed more than the 10 weeks if you've already used them when you get sick. Actually, you can take more vacation time too (another partner takes 12 weeks a year), but after the 10 weeks, you basically pay for your vacation, as they penalize you a small amount.

 

[disneychrista]

I take 25 vacation days & 4 personal days plus 10 paid holidays per year. This is my annual accrual and I hoover at the maximum accrual so I have to take it or stop accruing.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Before I retired from the Federal Government I got:

10 Federal Holidays
13 Days of Sick Leave
26 days of Annual Leave (up from 20 when I hit 15 years)

as well as occasional Comp Time for working many extra hours.

 

[disneychrista]

10 weeks of vacation a year.

WOW that is nearly 20% of the year.

 

[pooh4evr]

Dh gets 2 weeks paid no sick or personal - come out of vacation- he can take off when he wants but not paid.

 

[SunnyP4Disney]

DH is military so he gets 30 days of leave per year. He took about 2 weeks of it over this past year. He also was sick a few times but is at a M-F type of job as second in command so he doesn't get charged leave, he just has to check in.

 

[Melmac]

I live in Canada so I hope it is okay that I reply

I get 3 weeks PTO that can be used anytime during the year. I also get from Dec 23 - Jan 2 paid off as well. I get all statutory holidays (about 10/year) paid. I have unlimited sick time but if I am off for more than 3 consecutive days, I need a doctor's note. My employer is generous.

I use all my vacation time every year (it is use it or lose it). I haven't called in sick for awhile and usually only do for a migraine. I think I had 2 sick days last year. Touch wood, I have avoided all of the stomach bugs/flus/etc. that have been going around this winter.

I would never be able to go through a year with only a couple of days off of work. It is a pretty stressful job and I think my performance would be affected without some down time.

 

[Callie]

My mom is a teacher, and the past few years she has maybe taken 2 days off, but only because of emergencies. Unless shes seriously ill she goes, its 2 much work to take days off for her.

 

[ThisIsJason]

For myself 30 days for vacation per year. 10 days for sick time per year. Can have up to 30 total sick days banked total. 2 personal days per year also.

My wife being a preschool teacher gets the summer "off". She also gets 10 sick days per year, her school system doesn't have a cut off limit. The teacher she replaced had over 200 when she retired (yikes!). Also they get 4 personal days per year, and if they don't use them, 2 of them become sick days and the other 2 are lost.

 

[Callie]

For myself 30 days for vacation per year. 10 days for sick time per year. Can have up to 30 total sick days banked total. 2 personal days per year also.

My wife being a preschool teacher gets the summer "off". She also gets 10 sick days per year, her school system doesn't have a cut off limit. The teacher she replaced had over 200 when she retired (yikes!). Also they get 4 personal days per year, and if they don't use them, 2 of them become sick days and the other 2 are lost.

Thats like my mom. She has enough sick days to cover over an entire year of teaching. Shes thought about using them before she retires. Getting a note saying she needs the sick time due to stress.

 

[ThisIsJason]

Thats like my mom. She has enough sick days to cover over an entire year of teaching. Shes thought about using them before she retires. Getting a note saying she needs the sick time due to stress.

My mom is also a teacher and one of the teachers in her school decided to retire after the following year, and took the next year "off". She was in the classroom with the permanent sub the first two weeks of school and then every other Friday. Quite a few other teachers and parents were upset because of that.

In fact, because of that the system ended up instating a rule that if you take more than 15 days off in a row you need a doctors note, also if you took any time off before or after vacation time (Winter/Spring break), to many teachers were taking extra time off and heading to WDW ( )

 

[Callie]

My mom is also a teacher and one of the teachers in her school decided to retire after the following year, and took the next year "off". She was in the classroom with the permanent sub the first two weeks of school and then every other Friday. Quite a few other teachers and parents were upset because of that.

In fact, because of that the system ended up instating a rule that if you take more than 15 days off in a row you need a doctors note, also if you took any time off before or after vacation time (Winter/Spring break), to many teachers were taking extra time off and heading to WDW ( )

Thats why she would get a doctors note. What is going on at her school is crazy, and she's already decided she isn't returning next year. She's been there over 20 years too. If I was a parent, I wouldn't blame the teacher

 

[lrichardson]

I get 4 weeks vacation, 3 personal and I have a cap on my sick which I have hit the limit (meaning I can't accumulate anymore) I am hardly ever out sick but I do take my vacation time and personal time. I need it. Stressful job working in an outpatient mental health center. My hubby was getting 18 vacation days, 4 personal and 15 sick days but they privatized his job and now he gets 10 vacation days and 5 sick days. Tough but he is okay with it.

 

[heatherwillmom]

I get 3 weeks of vacation time a year, along with 1 personal day, 80 hours sick time, & major holidays paid. We cannot accumulate more than 120 hours a year or we lose it. I can't remember how many sick hours we can stock up. We have to use our personal day each year by Dec 18. Our PTO time(vacation & sick) is accrued each pay period. I didn't take all of my vacation time last year. I used 2 weeks. I have used a couple of vacation days this winter due to snow. Our office was closed because the weather got bad. We had the option to take those days off without pay or use vacation days.

 

[MoniqueU]

In my husband business they can't do without you basically. if you arent there to work that day your coworker has to cover for you and come in on their days off. He sometimes works what are called "bells" from opening to close which is usually 8 30 am til 9 pm. In addition to those scheduled times if someont takes vacation he would get stuck covering for them and vice versa. You never call in sick for a cold or the flu. And chances are since you work so much that is where you caught it so staying home for the sake of your coworkes is obsolete. My husband has switfhed companies so he hasnt taken a day off in 3 years that i can remmber and he has only called in sick 2 times in our twenty years together.

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

Back when I was not a SAHD, I had 25 days of vacation a year, 7 sick days, and 3 personal days. Plus, we could earn payback days. I probably earned 5 payback days a year.

And I used every single one of them.

Of course, I also worked pretty much every single holiday, and every weekend day for 19 years there, so I didn't feel bad about it at all. And mostly 3PM - 11PM, so I missed tons of family time. I hardly saw my kids until they were 7 years old.

 

[katesorad]

4 days in an entire year? that's nothing. If the man is not feeling well, he needs to stay home, especially if what he has is contagious.

Generally, it's rare when an unhealthy employee is as productive as a healthy one.

I agree with that- DH is a security guard, so he doesn't come in too close of contact with too many people.. but still. I wish that he'd take a day to just lay in bed.

Interesting, though, to see how much time people are able to take off from work! That's pretty awesome. I'm still in college, so I know nothing about the real "adult" work force yet.. it's fun to hear everyone's stories and opinions!

 

[SOnotLayuh]

At the moment DH gets 10 PTO days per year. We use every single one!

 

[IDoDis]

Not counting school breaks and summer, I have taken off 2 to 3 days per school year for the last 12 years. Teachers in my district get 10 paid sick days per year and one personal day. I never (or very rarely) get sick. The sick days I do take are when my DD has an out-of-state skating competition where we need a day to travel. So far this school year I've missed one day for a Disney trip in October.

Prior to the 12 years, I used up my sick leave when I took some time off after having babies. Otherwise I'd have thousands of sick leave hours saved up. We don't get paid for them if we don't use them, but for me it's like having extra insurance should something happen (like major surgery) where I'd need an extended leave and not lose pay.

 

[aprilgail2]

5 Weeks vacation
7 personal days
12 sick days
12 holidays

and I take every single one of them a year! Works out to just over 11 weeks paid time off- they give them to me I am going to use them!