God I love European schedules

Snippylynn

Today, I found out that there are national holidays next week!  I work half a day on Wednesday, not at all on Thursday, Friday is the 'bridge' day (so you don't have to work on a FRIDAY after a holiday!!) and then Monday is another holiday.  hahaha... Awesome.

Too bad it's not the right day for me to visit with Pandabutt.

slwager

i went to grad school in london.  i miss it. working in a bar i accumulated paid time off.  i didn't know that and when i left the job i was handed a check for about a thousand pounds.  at the time it was $2000 US!

Moneypenny424

I'm so jealous!  Do you have any plans for your long weekend?

This is right in keeping with this article from CNN yesterday.  We need better vacation benefits in the US.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/05/23/vacation.in.america/index.html?iref=NS1

annakb8

I'm jealous. I consider myself lucky just because I actually get all federal holidays off.

laurenclaire1386

You.suck. I have Monday off though, for Memorial Day.

annakb8

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:bf34f4ec-8d8a-4665-94d5-379b63f52997">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm so jealous!  Do you have any plans for your long weekend? This is right in keeping with this article from CNN yesterday.  We need better vacation benefits in the US. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/05/23/vacation.in.america/index.html?iref=NS1" rel='nofollow'>http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/05/23/vacation.in.america/index.html?iref=NS1</a>
Posted by Moneypenny424[/QUOTE]

I read that article. It's kinda crazy we are like the only place without federally mandated vacation time. Unfortunately I doubt it would ever pass.

ahhhitsshannyn

Im jealous. My family in Scotland always talks about how we can work so much here. I think she said she gets like 8 weeks off per year.

I also have only Monday off and a hell of a drive home on Friday since everyone is heading to Vegas. Yay.

Snippylynn

Yea, Americans definitely need more time off.  I also think maternity leave should be changed too.  Nuts.

Well hey!  At least I'll have some company round here next week!

cac7777

My British FI only works 35 hours/week at his full time job, which is apparently normal in London. They also get 6 months of paid maternity leave! No fair. 

ETA: I forgot the month of paid leave every year. I'm sooooo ready to move there.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:1c5b569c-539c-4137-abde-9e999983a2f7">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]Im jealous. My family in Scotland always talks about how we can work so much here. I think she said she gets like 8 weeks off per year. I also have only Monday off and a hell of a drive home on Friday since everyone is heading to Vegas. Yay.
Posted by ahhhitsshannyn[/QUOTE]

I'm going to Vegas this weekend. We're leaving around lunch time on Monday and I expect it will take 7-8 hours for us to get back.

NuggetBrain

Vacation in the US is kind of a joke. I'm lucky because my job is only 37.5 hours a week and I get EO Friday off on a flex schedule.  But the most people get here as far as vacation is about 4 weeks a year. 

ahhhitsshannyn

Oh God Mery that is awful. We usually stop in Stateline and gamble for a while and leave there about 8 or 9 pm. But that is probably more feasible for me since I am only like 3 hours away compared to about 5 (?) for you usually. But my 70 mile commute home usually takes me at least 1.5 hrs, but I expect it will take closer to 3 this weekend. I am so excited.

Have fun this weekend!!

emilyinchile

Honestly, I worry about adjusting to a US vacation schedule when we move back. I think that'll have to be part of salary/benefits negotiation at any job. Right now I get 3 weeks off/year plus I can work weekends to get extra days off, and that feels like the bare minimum in terms of being able to get to the US and UK to see family and friends and also have some "fun" travel.

It's tempting to just move to the UK for a while to be closer to my dad, save money in pounds, enjoy the vacation time, and then head back to the US rich and having seen all of Europe.

Snippylynn

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:cdb8fd09-5360-4a91-9b4e-8599a72b86a4">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly, I worry about adjusting to a US vacation schedule when we move back. I think that'll have to be part of salary/benefits negotiation at any job. Right now I get 3 weeks off/year plus I can work weekends to get extra days off, and that feels like the bare minimum in terms of being able to get to the US and UK to see family and friends and also have some "fun" travel. It's tempting to just move to the UK for a while to be closer to my dad, save money in pounds, enjoy the vacation time, and then head back to the US rich and having seen all of Europe.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]
Ha.  If only that's how it worked out.

annakb8

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:cdb8fd09-5360-4a91-9b4e-8599a72b86a4">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly, I worry about adjusting to a US vacation schedule when we move back. I think that'll have to be part of salary/benefits negotiation at any job. Right now I get 3 weeks off/year plus I can work weekends to get extra days off, and that feels like the bare minimum in terms of being able to get to the US and UK to see family and friends and also have some "fun" travel.<strong> It's tempting to just move to the UK for a while to be closer to my dad, save money in pounds, enjoy the vacation time, and then head back to the US rich and having seen all of Europe.</strong>
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'd do that if I were you.

And about vacation time here, I don't think employers have realized or have taken into consideration that some people live really far away from their families. If my office didn't close down for Christmas I would have to use all my vacation just to see my family a few times a year. It wouldn't be such a big deal if my parents and inlaws just lived down the street.

sarabellam

My brother "gets" 6 weeks (I think) off for vacation, since it's a French owned company. He only takes off 2, maybe 3 weeks max per year. Contrast that with my husband, who doesn't even get paid sick days. If he has a fever, they send him home. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

emilyinchile

Yeah, I realize my plan is perhaps a wee bit idealistic Sadly I know how much taxes are in England and how much London costs, and suddenly the scenario changes from getting rich to going broke.

Snippylynn

Well, you could live pretty much anywhere else in England and make it all right.  London, not so much. 

Everytime I say that I'm not taking summer vacation, people are like, "But you know you can, right?  We don't force you to keep working!"  Like, they're totally worried about me not feeling like I can take a break from everything.  Hilarious.

emilyinchile

Well, we could live in my dad's guest house for free, but then we would be living on a dirt road in the northwest of England with a dairy farm and a plant nursery for neighbors. I think London is slightly more our speed, it's just unfortunate that we would have to eat ramen every day.

That's really cute that your coworkers want you to take vacation. I guess from your perspective, you're kind of all staycation-ed out after the past few years.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:71e62e83-b790-41e9-89b8-98ee428f11ca">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh God Mery that is awful. We usually stop in Stateline and gamble for a while and leave there about 8 or 9 pm. But that is probably more feasible for me since I am only like 3 hours away compared to about 5 (?) for you usually. But my 70 mile commute home usually takes me at least 1.5 hrs, but I expect it will take closer to 3 this weekend. I am so excited. Have fun this weekend!! :)
Posted by ahhhitsshannyn[/QUOTE]

Thanks! It's usually about 4 hours (around 280 miles?), but it's taken up to 6 hours. Once when I left LA on a Friday and had to deal with rush hour, once when I drove back on a weekday, hitting rush hour in San Bernardino AND LA. And if there's construction ont he 5, all bets are off! We might try to stop for dinner in San Gabriel at a Chinese restaurant my H has been wanting to try. We're going to try to drive out there early Saturday morning, maybe leaving at 7, so we get in by lunch time.

Snippylynn

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:0c6d1eae-55bf-4b19-bd5a-596333209443">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]Well, we could live in my dad's guest house for free, but then we would be living on a dirt road in the northwest of England with a dairy farm and a plant nursery for neighbors. I think London is slightly more our speed, it's just unfortunate that we would have to eat ramen every day. That's really cute that your coworkers want you to take vacation. I guess from your perspective, you're kind of all staycation-ed out after the past few years.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]

I am indeed.  But also, I want to save the time to go home for Christmas.  I haven't seen my family in 7 years for the holidays.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_god-love-european-schedules?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9ce31cdb-6900-4ad7-a909-436b4fe9cefaPost:cdb8fd09-5360-4a91-9b4e-8599a72b86a4">Re: God I love European schedules</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly, I worry about adjusting to a US vacation schedule when we move back. I think that'll have to be part of salary/benefits negotiation at any job. Right now I get 3 weeks off/year plus I can work weekends to get extra days off, and that feels like the bare minimum in terms of being able to get to the US and UK to see family and friends and also have some "fun" travel. It's tempting to just move to the UK for a while to be closer to my dad, save money in pounds, enjoy the vacation time, and then head back to the US rich and having seen all of Europe.
Posted by emilyinchile[/QUOTE]


I used to get 11 holidays and 4 weeks (20 days) of PTO a year at my job, and then they cut us down to 6 holidays and 3 weeks PTO. It seems like I rarely have time off saved up anymore and I'm always only taking a day or two here and there. Plus, with family living so far away, I have to take 2-3 days off, at least, when I want to visit them, and that seems like all my vacation time. Is your dad splitting his time between CA and England now?

Oh, and my H works for a company that was taken over by a French company. He got 2 days off at Christmas, 2 at NYE, 2 for MLK day, and he gets a half day on Friday. And when he puts in a lot of overtime his boss lets him take days off without documentation. He was working until 2am last night, so he decided to sleep in til about 11 today. It's like the French company says, "you only get 3 day weekends?! Oh no, you need more holiday time than that."

MikeF&SarahC

I'm in Italy and we have the same deal next week it wonderful especially because my parents are coming to visit.  Europe has great holidays

Snippylynn

Mike&Sarah, where are you?  I used to live in Modena.  The only issue I had there was that everything was CLOSED in my little town on holidays.

Mery, the French are NOTORIOUS for their "working hours", even within Europe.  Want a day off?  STRIKE.  Don't like the flowers in the lobby? STRIKE.  It's ridiculous.

emilyinchile

Mery, my dad's always been back and forth to a certain extent since his work took him to both countries, but now he spends more of his time in England than CA. Obviously he always makes sure to be in the US when we're there visiting, but he'd be thrilled if we decided to spend more time in the UK (which we almost certainly won't, but oh well).

SparrowSong

There was an article on cnn.com today about this that is now making the rounds on my fb friends pages.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/05/23/vacation.in.america/index.html?hpt=P1&iref=NS1

Wouldn't mandating 4 weeks vacation be a way to create jobs? We have too few people having to work themselves to death, stress, ulcers, unhappiness. Meanwhile, others can't find jobs at all. If we could have more people working more reasonable schedules, wouldn't that spread things out a bit and put more people back to work?

I get 10 paid days off a year, and I work weekends and holidays. It frickin' sucks.

HeyBrittany04

I've been working with my company for over two years now. And I don't start 'earning' vacation, sick or personal time until the end of this month. And then it expires next month.

I guess part of that is because I was promoted to management about 3 months ago.

My FI however gets three weeks of vacation time this year since he's been with his company for 7 years. But I don't think he can take it consecutively.

LuluP82

I work in the U.S. and I have 3 weeks vacation, 7 personal days, 7 sick days and all federal holidays off. I also get 4 summer Fridays that I can pick between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It goes up to 4 weeks of vacation next year, after I've been at my job for 2 years. I also get to "comp" days like Mery's husband if I work a weekend day or if I work super late the day before, and those don't get documented. I also work from home 80-90% of the time. The only thing that sucks is the other 10-20% is travel...But I guess I'm very lucky after reading these posts!