Posted on 06/28/2003 1:31:11 AM PDT by txzman
Oh, man, I'd have a real hard time adjusting to that! Grueling I tell ya.
If you feel non-productive, look into a new career, go back to school and try something different.
Vacation days are are part of a company's benefit package. Good companies hire the best workers and offer good benefits. Poor ones offer poor benefits. Work hard, do a good job and rewards follow.
The last time Mr. FourPeas changed jobs, he negotiated for four weeks of vacation. Yes, negotiated. His services were needed and his employer was willing to compensate him for his value. That's exactly the way it's supposed to work.
To get a true comparison between countries, you also need to factor in official holidays. We have quite a few in the US, a few more than most other countries. And we contrive to make as many as possible 3-day weekends. We probably do tend to get more long weekends in the US than in many other countries, which tend to take their holiday in one big chunk. I'm not sure but what shorter, more frequent breaks might actually do more good for body & soul with less pile-up and mess back at the office.
Tourism is a major industry in the US, and it would definitely benefit from an increase in vacation days.
There is much to be said for companies and institutions requiring anyone in a position of authority to get out of the office for at least an entire two-week annual time block. It frequently happens that those with something to cover up do so by never, ever going on vacation.
You have a harsh attitude to those who work and I'll bet you are even harsher on those who don't work.
I am also partially self-employed. My vaction choices or lack thereof are mine. When I chose to trade vacation for work, I am the direct beneficiary and it is a rational and voluntary choice.
For what? Saying no man has a right to a job? It's the simple truth. Got nothing to do with harshness. It's no different than saying "the sun comes up in the east". It's just a fact. Saying "a man is entitled to employment" is no different than saying "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". No different. People aren't entitled to most of the things the liberals have told them they are. You aren't entitled to be employed. You aren't entitled to a minimum wage. You are entitled to a living wage. You aren't entitled to health care. You aren't entitled to shelter, food, clothing.
Freedom is a harsh concept perhaps. Too harsh for most, I expect.
I simply object to anybody who calls himself an American even toying with the idea that the government ought to make a law governing minimum vacation days. What's the problem?
I'll bet you are even harsher on those who don't work.
Why would you think that? I personally don't care if people have employment or not. As long as they don't whine to the gov't to "entitle" them to some of my property- they can do what they want. Why should I care? You don't want to work, don't work- simple as that. What you eat, where you stay- your problem.
You have a harsh attitude to those who work
I work. My wife works. All my friends work. Bill Gates works. I like me. I like my wife. I like my friends. I like Bill Gates. I like people that work- admire them as a matter of fact. I'm not sure I understand this criticism.
D'oh! obviously, a mistake on my part. That should definitely read:
You are not entitled to a living wage
No it doesn't. There is no such thing as free health care. Doesn't exist.
Kind of like the Laffer Curve, there has to be a productivity curve. If you work zero hours a year, your productivity is zero. If you "work" 365 days a year for 24 hours, your productivity is zero because you will be in an insane asylum. The magic is finding the right number. How hard can you work, until your productivity declines?
We need to take play as seriously as work. The problem as I see it, and as others have mentioned is that many people don't really get a true vacation. A true vacation means no umbillical cord to the office. You are a free agent, free to take a holiday from work. I would suspect that the days a worker needs for vacation to be productive, would actually drop if middle management types actually allowed people to not do paperwork and return phone calls, while they are enjoying their holiday time.
Sounds like he gets 10 days a year, not five. Many companies give 5 days after six months. That's half a year. Thus 10 days a year. Reporter is apparently on vacation and too lazy to check facts.
Lost in all of this is that most people get weekends off which amounts to 104 days per year. Even those who have jobs that involve working weekends usually get a couple of days off during the week. I remember working at the airport and getting Tuesdays and Wednesdays off for my "weekend."
As well, most companies give 13 paid holidays a year. So take the weekends (104) plus holidays (13) plus vacation (10) and you end up with 127 days a year off - or over 1/3 of the year.
Then you have people who take "sick days" but that's another issue entirely.
I take it you voted for the Libertarian candidate in 2000? After all Bush talked about this drug plan when he was running, so this isn't a surprise.
I don't believe that many people, if any, are paid for their weekend offtime.
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