Comparisons

Interesting article.

Workers in Finland had one of the best annual leave packages among developed countries, a study by the center found. Finnish workers received 30 days of paid vacation plus another nine paid holidays.

French workers were guaranteed 30 days of paid annual leave, but only one paid holiday. Most European workers were guaranteed at least 20 days of vacation, and some also received as many as 13 paid holidays.

Canadian workers were guaranteed 10 days of vacation plus another eight paid holidays, while Japanese laborers only were guaranteed 10 days of annual leave, the study found.

U.S. workers were guaranteed neither paid vacations nor paid holidays.

Despite the lack of government guarantees, 90 percent of U.S. employers offered vacation, the study found. Workers received an average of nine days of paid vacation and six paid holidays, a total of 15 days off per year.

Really? I thought this was a given... public holidays and all that? You mean... it's public holiday and your employer can decline to let you off?
*shrugs*
Perhaps I don't understand how the American system works.

But the comparisons with the other countries was interesting. Singapore..... Singapore is somewhere in the middle.

We have a minimum of 2 public holidays per ethnic group (4 grps total). Plus about 3? 4? government sanctioned holidays. So that makes about 11 or 12 days per year, minimum. When I first started out working, grunts were given 12-14 days of annual leave (paid leave). At the highest, I recall I had to clear 25 days of annual leave one year. Now, as a contract worker, I have the legal minumum of 7 days. heh.

Still, it's interesting to think about. We all moan about how the Europeans have such a high quality of life. About their long - we're talking about the entire summer period - vacation times. But I also recall their very expensive way of life. Their taxes. Their taxes! Swedes do an avergage of 30% - 40% on their income tax. An average. This is unfathomable to a Singaporean, where our hightest income tax rate is 22%. (I can't speak for the Americans as I understand they have both a state and federal tax and how much of your income is sucked out depends on where you are. lol)

And look at the French : 30 days leave both guaranteed AND paid for. And one paid holiday. I've never even heard of a paid HOLIDAY. lol. But no, I don't envy them. The new French president has a lot on his hands and I'm GLAD he won. They need to be shoved and I rather have hopes for him to be the one to do it.


Oh well. Soap box economics lecture is over. haha.