darkemeralds. (Reply)

Posted by

Wow, those are hugely generous vacation/sick leave benefits, but you're right that it's nowhere near as generous as Europe. At this point, I despair that it'd take a damn revolution for us to get anywhere near the leave benefits of Europe, but even if something more akin to your benefits was the standard, think how much better off the American workplace -- and more importantly, American workers -- would be. Instead, the leave I started with seems to be more of the standard for the American office, never mind other workplaces like restaurants. (For reference, I started w/5 sick days, 2 weeks vacation, no personal day, and 7 paid holidays. I will have been there 13 years in April, and I currently have 4 weeks vacation (my "reward" at my 5 and 10 year anniversaries was an additional week, respectively), and our current company policies about the others for everyone have changed to 6 sick days, 9 paid holidays, and 1 personal day. I don't think I'll continue to get a week of added vacation for every 5th anniversary, but I guess I'll find out.)

Good for you for getting that important lesson about sick leave, by the way. That is absolutely how I think it should be used, and I encourage others (coworkers, friends, etc.) to treat it that way whenever the subject comes up. Unfortunately, it's a case of do as I say, not as I do. :( I used to be better about taking mental health days instead of leaving sick leave on the table before I was promoted, but I'm hyperaware of how much disruption my absence causes for the people around me (which isn't to say that I'm a hugely important cog, because I'm not). And with the added vacation, I admit I feel too guilty most of the time to also take sick leave unless I'm actually sick. Score another point for the insidious and toxic corporate culture of America.