fuchs01

For 25years I enjoyed 35days vacation, plus ca 8 govt/bank holidays.plus freetime for extra hrs worked.Around the world, then when doing project work and living in USA,under european contracts never had a problem with the locals, though in USA I only took their allotment of govt hols.
One shouldnt forget there are many 12hr shift jobs, with more days off,or even 21-30 days work, then 9-11 days free, even in the USA.Cable laying, Riggers land and sea jobs, even management enjoy the long breaks.
Like anywhere else in the world much depends what your job specs are how adventurous you are
in job applications.Plus what you are chasing and willing to settle with.

Steerpike

I was always guilty of not taking my allowance, and had over 6 weeks accumulated when I left my job in August of last year. The company were legally obligated to pay me for it (and did, without issue). I believe CA has even stricter rules in favor of the employee.

I've never been too bothered about how much PTO I got; much more interested in the money. I'd rather work hard, get paid more, and then maybe take a long break between jobs. I realize this isn't always attractive to family folks, who need to coordinate vacations, but for me, working like crazy and then taking a break is very cool.

I too would say there is no question that employees in EU countries get more time off; it's codified into law. The mandated allowance in the US is very minimal, as far as I know, and many companies don't exceed what they have to. Walmart would probably be a good example. Personally I think it is counter-productive to mandate 5-6 weeks, but that's just me.

Hotscot

It's worse than what you think...there's no mandated vacation in the US.

Sally Redux

I hope he does get the checkout payment because he got no thanks.

I think having to leave your job to get a break is a little extreme in the other direction, and would still be difficult for most people because unpaid.

Have to say that husband is doing some work in collaboration with a doctor in France but it's hampered by the fact that she is constantly taking exotic holidays (like every few weeks), while complaining about lack of holidays

Gozit

Right that sounds good, but doesn't it look bad on a resume if you have repeated gaps in employment? I ask because I could totally see myself doing that.

Sally Redux

It used to be recommended not to have gaps in your CV. Maybe it's different now.

Derrygal

Yes it certainly was - I remember getting asked by my present employer (I've been there 15 years and this was at my first interview) about a gap of just a few months in my employment. I explained that I was back in N Ireland taking care of my father who had cancer (which was true - my mum died 6 years before my dad). They were fine with that explanation and I got hired.

Gozit

It would be lovely if it is in fact different now... I personally can't see the harm in a "career holiday" if you aren't liking your current employer, have adequate savings, and want to use the circumstances as an opportunity to take say a 3 month holiday and travel across x area, then get a new job when you return...

Hotscot

Considering that many jobs have far more applicants than expected they often filter by elimination based on gaps.
And then there's the companies that will eliminate if you aren't currently employed.

I've seen it all.

Michael

It's lot easier said than done. First you have to make enough and save enough money to pay for all your expenses that you would normally have plus additional expenses needed to travel. Then you have to consider the possibility that you may not find another job for 6-9 months and have to still meet all those expenses.

Right now you are living at home and you probably have very little expenses but once you get into the real world, expect to have at a very minimum of $1,500 per month reoccurring expenses (rent, car, insurance, phone, utilities, etc.). Therefore unless you have saved at least $20,000, you'd risk getting evicted, your car repossessed, your credit rating destroyed, and living hand to hand.

Besides that $20,000, you should also have saved enough to pay reoccurring expenses in case you are laid off and can't find a job for 6-9 months.

It's tough in the real world.

scrubbedexpat091

Gaps are still and issue, and more gaps you have the harder it is to get interviews, and longer you go without a job and remain unemployed the harder it is as well.

If you get an interview and can explain gaps, they may not be such an issue depending on why you have them, but more and more companies as said are screening applicants based on gaps and not even considering applicants with lots of gaps or long term unemployment.

Its a dog eat dog world out there, unless independently wealthy, your likely gonna find you cant take long periods off and travel and maintain a steady income and stable life.

My longest stint of employment in the last decade has been 6 months, and trust me when I say gaps are my biggest enemy when it comes to getting a new job.

Yorkieabroad

I'll be honest, when I was interviewing (albeit a few years back, in a very specific industry), gaps weren't that much of an issue if the interviewee could talk around them properly. But I would have been very concerned about the maximum length of tenure in any position over an extended period of time...

Pulaski

Do you mean serial short stints, or stagnating in one role for many years. IMO both can be a problem.

scrubbedexpat091

I can't go into detail about my gaps since they are medical related, best I can do is say medical leave when asked in interviews, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

My biggest issue is every job, I have had in the last decade have been downright miserable places to work for the most part, and don't lend themselves to longevity, and lucky if someone even stays a year. I get bored too easily and need something different so I move onto to something different to stay interested.

I am talking about places that see near 100% annual turn over, you wont find people in these place for more then 6-12 months for the most part. They just are not the type of jobs that lend themselves to longevity.

Boredom/stagnation in a job is my worst enemy.

Yorkieabroad

No, I actually meant serial short stints, referring to the comment about not having stayed anywhere for more than 6 months in the last decade, although I agree with your comment about stagnation at the other end of the spectrum.