Thursday's Question of the Day

A recent series of reports on CNN indicated that a growing number of Americans are getting less and less vacation time per year. In many cases, people reported that they had no paid vacation time at all in 2004. There was a parallel report showing a disturbing number of employers who offered no sick time, either. The result was that many people were exhibiting dangerous levels of "presenteeism." (The opposite of being absent.) In other words, they were showing up for work when they were sick, and likely contagious, simply because they couldn't afford to miss the pay and time at work. This was particularly worrisome in the food service industry.

Personally I feel very fortunate not to have experienced these things. I currently get eighteen days of paid vacation combined with "floating holidays" per year. In two more years that will become a full month of paid time off. The company I contract under also has a policy of paid sick time with no hard limit on it. (Though of course they monitor it for abuse, and any sick time in excess of three consecutive days is supposed to be transferred over to disability claims.)

How is your experience in this regard, and what have you seen in the situations of other people you personally know? Are we getting more, less, or just enough vacation from employers? Are benefits becoming a thing of the past?