Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
Feb 3rd 2011, 5:18 pm
#31
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Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Maryland (via Belfast, Manchester, Toronto and London)
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Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
Truth. When we lived in London we used to come over here for three or four weeks at a time, on the basis that it costs a lot and it's a long way, so why not make the most of it.
Now we live here in the States, when I book a week-long trip home I am looked at as if I am planning a six month sabbatical.
This is one of my main gripes about living here. Yes, I make more money than I did in London, and have a nicer house and car, but I (and pretty much everybody I know) spend all the hours at work to pay for it, and taking any time off is seen as something between hedonism and slacking.
They don't seem to realise WHY they should be working here. All they do is buy stuff and then buy more stuff. Accumulation. The old 'the person with the most toys, wins' thing.
Sorry, went off on one then.
Now we live here in the States, when I book a week-long trip home I am looked at as if I am planning a six month sabbatical.
This is one of my main gripes about living here. Yes, I make more money than I did in London, and have a nicer house and car, but I (and pretty much everybody I know) spend all the hours at work to pay for it, and taking any time off is seen as something between hedonism and slacking.
They don't seem to realise WHY they should be working here. All they do is buy stuff and then buy more stuff. Accumulation. The old 'the person with the most toys, wins' thing.
Sorry, went off on one then.
Feb 3rd 2011, 7:07 pm
#32
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Joined: Jul 2009
Location: Houston
Posts: 522
Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
As an American growing up here, it was simply a fact of life that folks went on a week's vacation in the summer. It meant spending one week in a car with your family. I think as those boys and girls grew up to be HR men and women, decided more than that could destroy the American family.
Have you EVER been in a car with your parents for a week? In the USA it meant motels and 'educational' attractions (world's largest thermometer anyone?) It was NOT DisneyWorld and Its a Small World happiness. It IS more like Chevy Chase's Summer Vacation.
When I moved to France, I loved how the Parisians took off for the south/countryland for a whole month. How wonderful! When I moved to Spain, the Spaniards spent their breezy holiday days on the coastal beaches, sitting in the plaza with friends, getting up at noon... When I moved to the UK, the UK folks took off to Southern Spain, where the Spaniads vacated as to avoid the Brits.
So a month of is so ideal.
For us Americans, its simply a part of life, and the companies are for-profit so they need folks to be there. There are no 'maternity cover' situations here (Clinton did get us FLMA, but that is ONLY if you have saved up enough sick days to avail oneself of it!) - have a kid and get back to work.
As well, in the USA, it takes just as long as it is to fly New York to LA as it is Boston to Dublin. Americans have little concept of going to other COUNTRIES when Texas is bigger than the country of France. Now this pesky business of requiring folks to have passports to visit Canada or Mexico - put the family in the car and go see the world's largest ball of rubber bands. (Sigh.)
I used to work for USG, so I got 6 hours leave per payperiod (26 payperiods per year.) This bumps up to 8 per pay period when you have 15 years of service. BUT, we earned 4 hours additional per pay period in sick leave. So its automatic for the sick leave so if you need to see a doc or take a family member to the doc, you do lose leave time as it can be booked to sick leave. If we work extra, we got credit hours to be used later. (Laborers got overtime situations.) But as USG, we got every congressionally mandated holiday, so throw in about 11 more days off.
When I was USG overseas, we got all the American holidays off, and ALSO the country's holidays as well. (Ever wonder why the Embassy is rarely open??) I landed in one country that had 12 holidays. Plus the US 11, plus the 20 days for leave - I had 43 days off, and still had 10 days of sick leave a year that could be used.
My UK husband simply stated 25 days off and his company said 'fine'. It does match the leave for staff folk who had been with the company 15 years, so HR-wise, they could do it.
So for the one here that said if they take a week to the UK, and the Americans act or look like its a 6-month sabbatical - in perspective, we think it is!
ETA: Is it worth giving up 25 days holiday in UK? My husband says an emphatical "YES!" As we have lower costs of housing, food and tax burden, we have lots more money in our pockets in the present, which means a EARLY retirement and have many more years of 365 day vacation packages!
Have you EVER been in a car with your parents for a week? In the USA it meant motels and 'educational' attractions (world's largest thermometer anyone?) It was NOT DisneyWorld and Its a Small World happiness. It IS more like Chevy Chase's Summer Vacation.
When I moved to France, I loved how the Parisians took off for the south/countryland for a whole month. How wonderful! When I moved to Spain, the Spaniards spent their breezy holiday days on the coastal beaches, sitting in the plaza with friends, getting up at noon... When I moved to the UK, the UK folks took off to Southern Spain, where the Spaniads vacated as to avoid the Brits.
So a month of is so ideal.
For us Americans, its simply a part of life, and the companies are for-profit so they need folks to be there. There are no 'maternity cover' situations here (Clinton did get us FLMA, but that is ONLY if you have saved up enough sick days to avail oneself of it!) - have a kid and get back to work.
As well, in the USA, it takes just as long as it is to fly New York to LA as it is Boston to Dublin. Americans have little concept of going to other COUNTRIES when Texas is bigger than the country of France. Now this pesky business of requiring folks to have passports to visit Canada or Mexico - put the family in the car and go see the world's largest ball of rubber bands. (Sigh.)
I used to work for USG, so I got 6 hours leave per payperiod (26 payperiods per year.) This bumps up to 8 per pay period when you have 15 years of service. BUT, we earned 4 hours additional per pay period in sick leave. So its automatic for the sick leave so if you need to see a doc or take a family member to the doc, you do lose leave time as it can be booked to sick leave. If we work extra, we got credit hours to be used later. (Laborers got overtime situations.) But as USG, we got every congressionally mandated holiday, so throw in about 11 more days off.
When I was USG overseas, we got all the American holidays off, and ALSO the country's holidays as well. (Ever wonder why the Embassy is rarely open??) I landed in one country that had 12 holidays. Plus the US 11, plus the 20 days for leave - I had 43 days off, and still had 10 days of sick leave a year that could be used.
My UK husband simply stated 25 days off and his company said 'fine'. It does match the leave for staff folk who had been with the company 15 years, so HR-wise, they could do it.
So for the one here that said if they take a week to the UK, and the Americans act or look like its a 6-month sabbatical - in perspective, we think it is!
ETA: Is it worth giving up 25 days holiday in UK? My husband says an emphatical "YES!" As we have lower costs of housing, food and tax burden, we have lots more money in our pockets in the present, which means a EARLY retirement and have many more years of 365 day vacation packages!
Last edited by Bomjeito; Feb 3rd 2011 at 7:11 pm. Reason: ETA:::
Feb 3rd 2011, 7:17 pm
#33
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
As an American growing up here, it was simply a fact of life that folks went on a week's vacation in the summer. It meant spending one week in a car with your family. I think as those boys and girls grew up to be HR men and women, decided more than that could destroy the American family.
Have you EVER been in a car with your parents for a week? In the USA it meant motels and 'educational' attractions (world's largest thermometer anyone?) It was NOT DisneyWorld and Its a Small World happiness. It IS more like Chevy Chase's Summer Vacation.
Have you EVER been in a car with your parents for a week? In the USA it meant motels and 'educational' attractions (world's largest thermometer anyone?) It was NOT DisneyWorld and Its a Small World happiness. It IS more like Chevy Chase's Summer Vacation.
Too true! Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane and Hi Again, Trees of Mystery! 
Feb 3rd 2011, 7:21 pm
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: Houston
Posts: 522
Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
Oh glory, even at age 70, if my Dad knew about Trees of Mystery, we'd be going there too.
http://www.northpoleny.com/index.html It looks nicer on the website.
http://www.clarkstradingpost.com/ Who can ever forget trained bears?
http://www.wlra.us/ I think this is the American Dad's go-to guide.
http://www.northpoleny.com/index.html It looks nicer on the website.
http://www.clarkstradingpost.com/ Who can ever forget trained bears?
http://www.wlra.us/ I think this is the American Dad's go-to guide.
Feb 3rd 2011, 8:13 pm
#35
Shocked of Redmond
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 3,446
Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
For some interesting reminiscences about road trips, check out "The Lost Continent" by Bill Bryson.
Feb 3rd 2011, 8:21 pm
#36
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In a darkened room somewhere.............
Posts: 34,029
Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
For some interesting reminiscences about road trips, check out "The Lost Continent" by Bill Bryson.
Feb 3rd 2011, 8:33 pm
#37
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,352
Re: Is it worth giving up 25 or more days paid holiday in the UK?
We went here in about 1989:
South of the Border - Dillon, SC
We were driving from New York to South Carolina for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Starting probably about a hundred miles beforehand, the billboards for this place started turning up, and another one every few miles. I don't know who was more excited by the time we got there - me, my brother, or my mom!
All I remember about the place now is that my mom bought a souvenir mug and that it was also the first place I had ever seen coin-operated toilet stalls.
South of the Border - Dillon, SC
We were driving from New York to South Carolina for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Starting probably about a hundred miles beforehand, the billboards for this place started turning up, and another one every few miles. I don't know who was more excited by the time we got there - me, my brother, or my mom!
All I remember about the place now is that my mom bought a souvenir mug and that it was also the first place I had ever seen coin-operated toilet stalls.
