Moses2013

Well said, but I think the huge mistake people make is that they think Canada is automatically Canada and just focus on the country. Even if you are in the UK, the differences can be huge and most people would compare small areas, rather than a whole country.


Even in Germany, different Bundesländer have different public holidays and laws can change too, just like the UK.
It's never really the country that makes people happy, but the location and how they personally can live in that country.

Paul_Shepherd

There is not doubt about it....it is something that belongs in Victorian times and is crap, no other word for it. However as JSmith said.....it could be even worse! it could be the states!

I think you have to try and find a way whereyou can personally work around it.......I have come to the conclusion in that as long as the company allows me to book unpaid time off, then I budget that into the salary offered and approach it that way.

So 2 weeks paid entitlement, and another 2 weeks unpaid, which if I can financially distribute over the year, I can get by with that fine. Vacation is more important to me than money.

The issue arises with me when the company won't let you take unpaid leave or bank time in lieu. Now I find that would be a real issue.

Moses2013

Vacation can be very stressful. What I find far more important are working hours, flexibility and time you actually have during week to do things.


If you have bad working hours and a long commute, even 4 weeks paid holiday suck. I want to enjoy a beer in the garden after work, rather than just looking forward to holidays all the time.

Gozit

I agree with the sentiment that vacation entitlement sucks here. However, even as a "lowly young'in," both of the employers i've had have had no issue with me taking unpaid leave for as long as I wish. Although the prevailing attitude among most people my age is they feel that since they are so young and lucky to have the job etc they don't feel they are entitled to ask for vacation. We're trying to plan a family reunion in the summer time and one of my cousins is too afraid to ask his employer for even 5 days off to attend...meanwhile I had no issue requesting a full 2 weeks.

In my field (IT) it's rare that one stays with an employer for a long time, as advancement opportunities within the same company are pretty rare. So if I want to move from helpdesk to desktop support tech, and from there to junior network admin, then full sysadmin, etc, the fastest way to get it (and a substantial pay increase) is to change jobs. So the idea of waiting around and accumulating vacation doesn't really work for my career.

Given my positive experiences with current employers I wouldn't really want to work for someone that was going to take me round the bend over taking 2 weeks off for a vacation.

BristolUK

I'm curious. Does that include Shoppers and is there any connection with health benefits where you have to get in a number of hours regularly to qualify and by taking unpaid time off unhindered, it helps them keep your hours down?

Just wondering...my stepdaughter works retail and there are times when it appears they move heaven and earth to spread the hours around so nobody meets the threshold.

She's had no problem at all taking a few weeks off accompanying her mum to Montreal when her grandfather was ill and then died, nor similarly when her mum died (3 years ago tomorrow ) so they don't need to work so hard to keep hours down.

Almost Canadian

Self-employment an option for those that wish to take more vacation.

Howefamily

Agreed, That was my life in the UK, counting down to the next vacation and it wasnt because my job sucked or I worked long hours. I was just in the wrong place.
Now I have 3 weeks vacation and enjoy every damn day (except right now, as its Spring and I hate spring in NS)

Tumbling_Dice

I get the impression you really don't like spring in NS

Howefamily

I really dont its awful

Aviator

But then wishing and getting are quite different! Since becoming self employed, I get less time off than when I was an employee. However time is my own and I can choose how I spend

Almost Canadian

I completely agree. I take less vacation now that I am self-employed and, clearly, there is a correlation between my income and the vacation that I take.

JamesM

In Ontario they waste their time hiking north in heavy traffic and sitting by still lakes drinking in "Cottage" country. Highly bizzare when they could be relaxing in a nice warm Hooters with AC and a decent choice of TV channels.

I've never taken a job with two weeks vacation. It's a deal breaker. I think most employers now give 15 days. Also most places I've worked shut between Christmas and New Year so I never book those off I just keep my work phone on and do what I please.

We're very good at giving people the negatives on here. It's certainly not the land of milk and honey.

I spent more hours than I cared to in the airport on Sunday night. It's a disaster.

There's nothing forward thinking about Canada. It's 10 years behind the rest of the western world for most things. Some services like the transit in Toronto are closer to 20.

Or unemployment

DandNHill

100%. I'll be doing just that in a few weeks time! Can't wait!

BlueScottyGirl

That's pretty much what my husband said, he may look at it from that point of view if he ever gets to the negotiation stage The concern seems to be shifting to me as I probably won't be able to negotiate anything going back into the workforce after 20 years out.

Like all of life's big decisions we need to weigh up the pros and cons.

For the record, I am in NO WAY trying to put Canada down, it's my first choice country but I am not going to venture blindly into such a big life change. I appreciate people pointing out the good, the bad and..well, even the ugly!

DandNHill

Maybe you could temp? That way you could do as little or as much as you liked?