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Jul 31, 2007 11:53 pm US/Eastern
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Study Finds U.S. Is Becoming A No Vacation Nation
(KDKA)
Nearly a quarter of Americans get no paid vacation and many of those who do don't take it.
"Americans are pretty stressed at the present time having to work harder and longer hours and balance family and work," Prof. Marick Masters from the University of Pittsburgh said.
It's one reason why foreigners think Americans are crazy when it comes to vacation.
In Italy, for example, employees get 42 days off, but Americans average just 13 days off.
"I think the United States is, I think, coming to the realization that we work maybe a little bit too hard and one way to ratchet that back is to make a decision at the national level to guarantee everybody a minimum standard of vacation," John Schmitt, a co-author of this report, which describes America as a no-vacation nation.
Denmark and France require six weeks of paid vacation and holidays; Norway and Sweeden mandate five weeks; Australia, Germany and Great Britain require four weeks, for instance. The U.S. requires none at all.
Some Americans may be afraid to take time off.
"More people are just a little paranoid about being away because, think about it, if you take a vacation for two weeks and we don't talk to you at all, you don't need to check in with us, in the back of our minds, we're really thinking do we really need you," explained Debra Dinnocenzo, a workplace consultant. "That's I think is the undercurrent, and people are afraid."
But there's no evidence people get fired for taking vacation and time off can make you a better employee.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)