How Much Annual Leave Do You Get?

[F1guynz]

Hi,

I was just curious to know how many weeks annual leave people receive for their holidays each year.

In New Zealand we get 4 weeks (20 days) per year with another 2 weeks (11 days) for public holidays such as Christmas and Easter.

I also get long service leave which entitles me to another 5 weeks which I can use anytime over the next 10 years.

We normally do one cruise a year of between 7-14 days and then do a land based holiday for the other weeks left over. 

 

[BunnyHutt]

In the US it can definitely vary between type of position worked, seniority of said position and tenure with the employer. 

It is not uncommon to start with 1-2 weeks vacation, plus paid public holidays. And then it goes up from there. 

I ‘retired’ last year at the ripe old age of 40 and had 4 weeks vacation when I left my most recent employer, with whom I had been in a managerial position for 7 years. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

Dan and I both get 5 weeks (200 hours) plus 11 federal holidays so a total of ~7 weeks.  The very fortunate part of our vacation schedule is that we can go any time we want to go.  Our only limitations are around our own work priorities.

[rjac]

I have all my weekends off and only have a "workday" every other Monday........I'm retired and volunteer at our local NC Aquarium every other Monday. 

[kittysoul]

In my current position, I receive 28 days of  paid time off time, plus 2 personal days and 6 federal holidays....

[GregD]

Next year I will have 13 days that I can take off. I’m a career firefighter and I work 24 hour shifts, so “one day off“ is 24hrs. The nice thing with my schedule is I can take two work days off, but actually have 16 days off. 

[Curt From Canada]

Canada is very much dependent of years of service.  My current company gives:

0-10 years = 3 weeks

10-15 years = 4 weeks

15-20 years = 5 weeks

20+ years = 6 weeks

plus most provinces give 13 statutory holidays per year

Every single one of those days is required for cruising.

 

[Phillo]

Being Australian, I get the required 20 work days (4 weeks) as annual leave.   On top of that, being in the public service, i also get the short break between christmas and new year off without using annual leave. (with public holidays thrown in, it works out to about 10 days actual leave).

Also... as I have been here for 17 years, I have long service leave and still have 16 weeks available to me to use!   (i am using 2 of those for our cruise in november!!)

[KathyC]

I get 10 days (2 weeks), plus about 8 holidays each year.  We aren't closed for every public holiday, ie I work on President's Day, but will be off both Christmas Eve & Day, depending on the day of the week they fall on.  If Easter falls after April 15th, I may get Good Friday off too.  If it falls before April 15, well, I'm working on Easter Sunday.  LOL 

[SpeedNoodles]

I earn 340 hours a year plus can take any OT as comp time.  We have been so short-staffed for the past 4 years that we can't actually take most of the time and have to switch shifts with someone else if we need a day off (so not actually time off, just time redistributed).  Because we are 24/7, 365, I cannot take holidays off, and only have them off if they fall on a day off (so group cruises scheduled over holidays disappoint me).

[FManke]

Not enough!

[Wnuk]

Being self employed I get no paid vacation days, sick days, or paid holidays. I am the worst boss I ever had 

What I do get is tons of satisfaction knowing I am making on my own. 

[JLMoran]

I get 20 days (4 weeks), plus 3 personal days and all federal holidays where the NYSE is closed (typically 9 days). That’s what I’ve had since I was hired at my current job 11 years ago, and I won’t qualify for another week until I’ve been there for 20 years. Of course, by that point I’ll be 58 and giving serious thought to trying to retire early; or at least transition to a much lower-key job since I’ll most likely be an empty nester at that point.

We do get the option at my company of “buying” another week off, which really boils down to giving back a week’s salary over the course of the year. Stupid option, I’ll just take a week of unpaid leave if it comes to that; same difference in the end.

[Koki]

30 days annual leave,15 days sick leave, 10 days family leave.

[spiralqueen]

It’s funny, in my mind I get 2 weeks vacation time. However I just did the math and I get 19 days per year (so just shy of 4 weeks) plus major federal holidays. However my PTO doubles as both vacation time and sick days so I don’t like to plan on using every single day for vacations as it wouldn’t allow me the flexibility to call out if I’m not feeling well. We don’t get off for things like Presidents’ Day or Columbus Day (not NYSE or court house rules) but I honestly can’t complain. My work is very flexible as far as allowing me to take time off which is nice. It means I can plan 2 and a half years in advance and not worry about not being able to get the time off (.....knock on wood. Don’t want to jinx myself!) 

[Auto]

I earn 30 days/year, and can carry up to 60 days on the books. In addition to that are Federal holidays, most weekends, and random days granted off. However, if I am outside of the local area those days, it counts against me.

[F1guynz]

I am surprised by the number of days most people get.

I had always heard people in the U.S didn't get much time off which is why a lot of the cruises are seven days or less.

Now I wonder why they don't offer the odd 14 day itinerary on an Oasis ship as I am sure you could fit in more port visits if you only had to return to a home port once.

 

[spiralqueen]

Just now, F1guynz said:

I am surprised by the number of days most people get.

I had always heard people in the U.S didn't get much time off which is why a lot of the cruises are seven days or less.

Now I wonder why they don't offer the odd 14 day itinerary on an Oasis ship as I am sure you could fit in more port visits if you only had to return to a home port once.

 

I know for me, personally, even though I get close to a month worth of vacation time I get some serious side eye from coworkers and my superiors if I use more than 6 or 7 days in a row. My coworker went to Italy for 2 weeks and had some comments when he came back from the owners about how long he was away. It goes over better if it’s spaced out. 

[MicDay]

Wow, I thought I had a lot.  Compare to you guys I'm doing ok.

I've been with my company for 18 plus years

At 22 years you max out with 6 weeks vacation

I get 5 weeks vacation, 10 plus days sick/personal (anything over 10 gets paid out at end of year)

All major Holidays and every weekend.

Husband had to change jobs (loves this one)

He's been there a year and has 2 weeks and a "birthday" day off

He sets his own schedule so he can work heavy early in the week and take a long weekend off.

 

[Phillo]

9 minutes ago, F1guynz said:

I am surprised by the number of days most people get.

I had always heard people in the U.S didn't get much time off which is why a lot of the cruises are seven days or less.

Now I wonder why they don't offer the odd 14 day itinerary on an Oasis ship as I am sure you could fit in more port visits if you only had to return to a home port once.

I am surprised as well.

The thing is.... for us (Australia and New Zealanders) its so far away from anything.  Any of our short cruise itineraries are generally 3 days to nowhere!

I have read somewhere that all the major cruiselines would like Brisbane (in Australia) to have its cruise facilties upgraded because it becomes easier to offer 7 day itineries to the south pacific islands.

My wife and I went on a south pacific cruise from sydney earlier this year (not RCI) it was a minimum 2 sea days traveling just to get to the first stop!  I get a little jealous of the cruises mentioned on here going to the caribbean islands from Florida.  A quick 3 day jaunt here or there!!! sounds awesome.

[Vanessa77]

6 minutes ago, spiralqueen said:

I get some serious side eye from coworkers and my superiors if I use more than 6 or 7 days in a row. 

That's crazy! I'm located in Aus, and taking just a week off seems like such a cop out. If you only take a week off you can't even get anywhere. Takes 24 hours to get to Europe, 14 to get to the US; and that's only 1 way! Only place you could conceivable go with just 1 week off is South East Asia, and I am not one keen on repeating holiday destinations.

Taking your full 4 weeks over here is pretty normal.

[spiralqueen]

17 hours ago, Vanessa77 said:

That's crazy! I'm located in Aus, and taking just a week off seems like such a cop out. If you only take a week off you can't even get anywhere. Takes 24 hours to get to Europe, 14 to get to the US; and that's only 1 way! Only place you could conceivable go with just 1 week off is South East Asia, and I am not one keen on repeating holiday destinations.

Taking your full 4 weeks over here is pretty normal.

I think part of it is cultural since there are so many places to go so easily from where we are. We could easily drive a couple of hours and spend time in another major US city like New York City, Baltimore, Washington DC, etc. And that’s not even counting how quick it is to fly to various places from here. Now mind you, they will LET you take more than a week off at a  time if you request it. I just don’t like dealing with the passive aggressive, half joking comments. So part of that is self imposed. 

 

......that being said I feel no guilt at going on a 11 day sailing over my birthday in Jan 2021 (EEE SO EXCITED!) 

[Phillo]

1 minute ago, Vanessa77 said:

That's crazy! I'm located in Aus, and taking just a week off seems like such a cop out. If you only take a week off you can't even get anywhere. Takes 24 hours to get to Europe, 14 to get to the US; and that's only 1 way! Only place you could conceivable go with just 1 week off is South East Asia, and I am not one keen on repeating holiday destinations. 

 

Yep. I think Australians (and NZ'ers) are conditioned to long travel times too!  I have heard @Matt mention on the podcast that he couldnt spend 14 hours on a plane (well  a  bit longer from florida) to come out to Australia for a cruise!!!! I would jump on a 14 hour flight to LA right now if i had the chance!

My wife and I went from Australia to Paris for a quick 8 day getaway a few years ago.  Its only 21 hours each way! hahaha.  (admittedly the cost of the fares were incredibly cheap).

All said and done though... it doesnt matter how much leave you get, its just that we are lucky enough to travel and spend time doing what we enjoy no matter how long it is.

[Koki]

I once took off for an 8 weeks vacation to SE Asia.  I was a little worried that someone might be in my office when I got back.

I sure did not want them getting use to being without me there.  You want to feel somewhat essential to what they do and to struggle doing without you there.

Came back forgot most my work passwords, lol.  

 

 

[fonemanbob]

Five weeks  Federal Holidays. 9 assorted days.  And if you are on vacation the week of a holiday you get an extra vacation day.  After I was there  20 years I would take a least 4 weeks vacation during holidays so that was another 4 more days off.  I would also work the Sunday before my vacation and if you work Sunday you get the following Friday off.  And I would be off on Monday after my vacations and then had to work the following Saturday.   That scenario gave so many more  days off it was  a great bonus.  

[Traveler]

Officially 22 days + 1 personal day + 9 public holiday (+/-)   but I can not remember the last vacation I did not went with my laptop and worked part of the time .  As both my Spouse and me working in the same company we get the same exact vacations.

[RWDW1204]

Wife is retired army, so to me, she's earned the 365 days off each year she gets now.  I'm still working though, an RN in a hospital.  I'm getting 30 days PTO now, but like @spiralqueen, it's used for anytime I want/need time off, vacation, sickness, holidays, appointments.

 

 

 

[mom2mybugs]

I teach preschool and work the elementary before/after care so I have a lot of summer time and 2 weeks Xmas and 1 week spring break.  3 problems though...I am married to a teacher who teaches summer school to pay for the vacations so that decreases time, the vacations are always the most expensive when we are able to travel (school holidays) and I don’t actually get any paid vacation time since I work two different 25 hr/week jobs.  Any time I’m off, it’s unpaid!  Jane

[F1guynz]

Our sick leave is separate from annual leave. I get 20 days sick leave but thankfully I haven’t needed any the last few years.

it takes about 24 hours to fly from NZ to the UK and there are various ways you can do it. One option is a 17 hour flight to Dubai followed by an 8 hour flight to the U.K. Normally we take a month off when doing this trip as travel time and jet lag means it makes more sense to stay longer.

The longest set of flights I have undertaken including stop overs was 42 hours from Orlando —> NYC —> LA —> Brisbane —> Auckland.

Luckily my company doesn’t shut down over Christmas so we can take our holidays when it suits.

 

 

[KWofPerth]

I'm starting 2 weeks leave tomorrow, to head to the Ningaloo Reef (Western Australia's answer to the Great Barrier Reef). Do I feel guilty about taking off more than a week?  AAAAAAAAAAAAAHahahahahha  NOoooooooo!

My boss is coincidentally heading up there as well and he is taking 3 weeks!

[Ditchdoc]

I think most US companies start with 2 weeks and you typically earn more with years service to the company that tops out at around 4 weeks with an option to carry over a week from one year to the next. Add another 5-10 days for various paid holidays, usually Christmas, Easter, .Labor day, Memorial day, 4th of July, New Years. Depending on what day the holiday falls on you might get a extra Monday or Friday thrown in and occasionally an extra two days if for instance Christmas falls on a Wednesday. Its nice to get those 3, 4 and sometimes 5 day weekends. Its not uncommon for people to take a vacation day or two in conjunction with those 'long weekends' and get a week off for the cost of a couple of vacation days.

Add to that, inclement weather days or snow days. Depending on the part of the country, its not terribly uncommon to get a few of those each each year.

I have been an advocate for years for a clement weather day holiday. Here in the south where summer temperature and humidity can be miserable, occasionally you get a day between 65 and 75 with low humidity  that should give you holiday to be outside and enjoy it

I have also advocated for getting one week vacation for each year of service. That way, by the time you put 30-40 years in a company, you are there so little you just retire.

Neither one of my ideas have garnered much support from employers for some reason. 

[Silligan]

Public school teacher here.  We do get a nice chunk of time off - problem is that it's all at once in the summer, or in smaller chunks like Christmas and Easter when it's SO expensive to travel.  This summer our last day was June 21st and we go back on August 20th, so I guess I get around 8 weeks "vacation," although most teachers work part or most of that time.  I used to spend about 6 of those weeks working, but now that I have kids, I stay home with them in the summer and tutor in the evenings to make extra cash. Any time in the summer that my husband isn't working summer camp (about 3 weeks) we travel, but we try to bookend our travel so that the kids or we don't get tired of travel, and so my husband and I can work (to pay for that travel!)  We try to do a trip in June as soon as school gets out, and another trip in early to mid August before we go back.  My husband and I always talk about how we wish our state would move to a year round school model so we could travel at different times of year! 

[J_Keeble]

in England I get 25 days plus bank holidays which accumulate to an extra 8 days through the year.

 

I wish it was more! roll on retirement when I can do a cruise at a moments notice haha, many more years before that happens

[AshleyDillo]

I am a state employee and just hit my 10 years of service, so I'm maxing out the leave allowance now.  I get 13 hours of annual leave a month, which is 156 hours a year (3.9 weeks for 40/hour work weeks).  Plus every year we get a personal holiday which is another 8 hours.  Every month we get a separate 8.67 hours of sick leave on top of that.  The office is closed on big holidays (MLK, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Years Day) and when those fall on weekends they give us either the Monday off or Friday instead.  

[ellcee]

Maxed out at my company for 4 weeks. 10 sick days. 10 holidays. 2 personal days. 1 volunteer day. A lot of Mondays off because I work a bunch of Sunday nights.

[JLMoran]

12 hours ago, spiralqueen said:

I know for me, personally, even though I get close to a month worth of vacation time I get some serious side eye from coworkers and my superiors if I use more than 6 or 7 days in a row. My coworker went to Italy for 2 weeks and had some comments when he came back from the owners about how long he was away.

......that being said I feel no guilt at going on a 12 day sailing over my birthday in Jan 2021 (EEE SO EXCITED!)

If your co-worker got side-eye for taking off 2 weeks, I can't wait to see what my coworkers give me after I take off the entire month of August next year! Now way am I going straight back to work after two weeks on a ship and around a week in Ireland. Will need that fourth week just to get over the jet lag, process everything that likely happened over that time, and write up the full blog! 

[JLMoran]

8 hours ago, F1guynz said:

Our sick leave is separate from annual leave.

Same here. My company is a little unusual, as we don't get days of sick leave and instead get a state-mandated (NJ) 40 hours per year that we can take in 1-hour increments. Which is kind of nice, because last week I got a migraine at 4:30 PM and only needed to claim 1 hour of sick leave instead of trying to power through to the end of the day or make it up the next day.

I'm stunned at the folks from the US who get 30 days of PTO. I'd never heard of that. I always thought I was at the high end due to being in the financial industry, but you folks take it to the next level! Are you in jobs considered to be a high-stress or other mentally draining job, like @SpeedNoodles or @lauraodonnell86 who I recall are 911 operators? Or just great companies with really good policies for long-time employees?

[Skid]

12 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

 Are you in jobs considered to be a high-stress or other mentally draining job, like @SpeedNoodles or @lauraodonnell86 who I recall are 911 operators? Or just great companies with really good policies for long-time employees?

Great question. With my old company, I had 25 vacation, 11 holidays and paid sick days as needed.

I am very curious what our friends outside the US have regarding retirement. What my old company had is just about unheard of now here. They provided a fully funded pension plan that we did not even have to contribute to AND they matched dollar for dollar (later changed to .50) up to 6% on what we contributed to our 401K. 

My biggest concern is for our children...planning and saving for retirement is so much harder now.

[Boston Babe]

I get 28 days, but really as many as I want, my bosses don't keep track! LOL Plus Federal and when the NYSE is closed too. 

[FroggyFlo]

In France you get 2.5 business days per month, which more or less amount to 5 weeks. Plus 11 days  bank holiday, among which some have to be a Saturday or a Sunday, which are then lost.

Plus we have a specificity dating back to 20 years ago (?), when the French government decided to cut down legal working time from 39 hours per week to 35. As a result, employees either work half a day less per week, or get a "vacation account" aimed at repaying back their extra working time.

As for us:  I'm a housewife and my husband is self-employed. in Luxemburg… which is another country and another story. We are still French people living in France… But these positions allow us to spend 3 months a year in Florida, so that we can feel American at heart.