Over here our vacation/annual leave time, as a rule, doesn't hold a candle to our European counterparts. To get 4 weeks vacation at most places it takes 7-10 years of service. Most companies begin with only 1 week (maybe 2) for the first few years.
As for me, I work at a university whose time is quite generous: 12 sick days, 2 weeks vacation first year - then 3 weeks years 2-6, then 4 weeks years 7+, plus 8 holidays.
My brother has worked at the same place for... 21 years - he's middle management, and gets 2 weeks vacation, they close only for the most major holidays (Thankgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day), and he has no sick time. Therefore, if he's sick, he either gets docked (not paid) or has to charge himself a vacation day. Oh - and he didn't get the 2 weeks until he had been there 10 years - in years 0-9 it ws only 1 week.
Now I have a whole 'nother issue with my vacation time -- that I have to charge myself vacation days for the Jewish holidays I observe. I don't even do them all - as it is I take 8 days - 2 for Rosh Hashana, 1.5 for Yom Kippur, and 4.5 for Passover. And Passover sometimes suffers if I don't have enough days accrued. In the 6 years I've been here, last summer was the first time we (my family) had the opportunity to take an entire week's vacation - where I had accrued an entire week and my husband had as well. It was incredibly nice to have a REAL vacation!
In 9 short months I will begin accruing vacation time at a 4-weeks-per-year rate. I can hardly wait!
DonnaP99
