In the modern era, employee wellbeing has finally entered the mainstream discourse. Yet, despite US employers leading the pack when it comes to offering flexible benefits like remote work and the 4-day week, their paid time off (PTO) policies remain stringent, especially compared to their European counterparts.
Surprisingly, even workers with generous PTO packages are reluctant to take the benefit. In fact, research reveals that 46% of US workers take fewer days off than they’re entitled to — resulting in a workplace phenomenon that would leave even the most industrious European puzzled.
As cases of burnout reach a precipice domestically and overseas, we spoke to workers to find out why taking vacation is still such a sticking point in 2024.
No, US Workers Aren’t Legally Entitled to PTO
According to current federal law, US workers aren’t entitled to a single paid day off. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, including for vacations, sick leave, or public holidays, unless you’re a federal employee.
Compared to European nations like France and Spain which mandate that workers get 36 days off a year, the US’s approach to PTO is draconian at best. What’s more, while certain workers are entitled to unpaid time off for certain reasons including bonding with a new child, caring for a sick family member, or recovering from illness, this protection only applies to employees who have worked for a company with over 50 employees for over 12 months.
Since no paid vacation policy is enshrined into law, the number of paid days off given to workers is at the discretion of employers. The majority of companies give workers between 10 to 15 days off a year, but shockingly, one in four US workers don’t receive any PTO at all. Due to employment practices, this issue disproportionately impacts lower-income workers, independent contractors like Uber drivers, and service workers.
But here’s the kicker — even for employees with generous paid leave packages, over 40% will reach the end of the year with days in the bank, according to recent findings from Pew Research. This segment is even higher (56%) for salaried workers, begging the question — why are US workers so hesitant when it comes to taking days off?
Employees Are Overloaded With Work
Ultimately, for the majority of employees, taking paid leave isn’t as easy as firing a message off to their line manager, slamming their laptop shut, and taking the next flight to Cancun. There is a variety of complex factors that tie workers to their desks, and make it harder for them to pursue some well-deserved R&R.
Oftentimes, always-on corporate cultures and heavy workloads create an environment where workers feel guilt-tripped if they take a break. According to a Pew Research survey of 5,188 US workers, almost half (49%) of those who don’t take all of their PTO do so out of fear of getting left behind, while 43% of workers are concerned colleagues will be forced to pick up their slack.
“I think it’s because I have some important meetings during the week that I can’t miss, and I don’t want to fall behind on work. Also, as a leader in our company, taking time off during essential days can be seen as ‘irresponsible.'” – Tristan Harris, Sr. Marketing Manager at Thrive Digital Marketing Agency
Kade Roberts, CMO of SaaS dating company CamGo has seen this firsthand in previous workplaces. When speaking on why her colleagues don’t take time off, she tells us that while reasons vary, “common themes include fear of falling behind on work, or a workplace culture that subtly discourages taking time off.”
Vacation Shame Is Still Alive and Kicking
Cameron Allen, an author at the Digital Whale Club and self-proclaimed “Notorious PTO hoarder,” expressed similar sentiments. When talking to us about why he’s “been notorious for being the worst person when it comes to taking PTO” at his previous companies, Allen explained that he feared being an inconvenience to the company and negatively impacting them as a result.
“I have had people-pleasing tendencies most of my life and have always felt that if I took PTO I was being an inconvenience to the company I was working for and negatively impacting the company by doing so.” – Cameron Allen, an author at the Digital Whale Club
Allen isn’t alone. Research from Movchan Agency has revealed that 47% of workers report feeling guilty about taking a vacation this summer. The phenomenon is so common, in fact, that there’s a name for it; “vacation shaming.” The term was first coined in 2016, but this data shows that the practice of provoking sly glances and critical comments after talking about your extended weekend break is still very much present in US workplaces, despite attitudes to hustle culture slowly softening across the US.
Not All US Workers Are Averse to Taking Time Off
In many ways, the US’s PTO problem is paradoxical. Workers are currently more burned out than ever, with 65% of US employees claiming to have suffered from the condition in 2023. The epidemic poses a huge problem for businesses too, with 72% of affected workers admitting that burnout makes them much less productive. However, unlike with previous generations, employees in 2024 are committed to do something about it.
Backlash against burnout can be witnessed across all corners of the internet. As seen in social media-fueled trends like quiet quitting to resenteeism, younger generations are fighting back and challenging unrealistic expectations simply by “doing less” during the hours of 9am to 5pm. Lots of employees aren’t being quiet when it comes to quitting too, with 90% of employees resorting to “rage applying” when workplace pressures become overbearing.
While these are all effective strategies to remedy burnout, taking regular breaks away from the office remains one of the best tried-and-tested ways to prevent the condition from occurring in the first place. But fortunately, for every four workers that aren’t making the most of their PTO leave, six are.
“I make it a point to use all my PTO. Last summer, I took two weeks off with my family, and it was incredible how refreshed I felt coming back to work. I was more innovative, more successful, and more suited to meet the demands of our hectic work environment.” – David Sides, PR Marketing Expert at Gori Law told us
Sides tells us that his management team understands the importance of a healthy work-life balance, but he acknowledges that lots of employees aren’t so fortunate. “I think companies need to actively encourage PTO use, maybe even make it mandatory.”
How Can Employers Encourage Workers to Take PTO?
For employers serious about safeguarding the mental health of their workers, having a reasonable PTO policy isn’t always enough. To overcome the corporate and societal pressures that prevent workers from taking leave, we recommend going a step further by motivating them to actually use it.
Firstly, communicating openly about the perks of PTO is an important way to destigmatize the practice in your workplace. If employees know how paid leave can benefit them, and are aware that higher ups support the policy, they’ll be much less guilty when submitting a vacation request.
Another way to encourage PTO throughout your company is by leading by example. If your boss hasn’t taken a vacation in ten years, commutes into the office during sick days, and is glued to his desk on the 4th of July, you’re going to be less inclined to take time off work yourself. By having a healthy approach to work and leisure yourself, these views are more likely to trickle down your company. And needless to say, taking a few days away from the office isn’t going to do you any harm either.
Enforcing mandatory PTO is another way to ensure employees are catching a break. However, for this to work effectively you need to make sure your workforce is onboard and have processes in place for workers to manage their workloads.
