Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:44 AM Jun 2014

Workaholism is hurting the American economy

By Bryce Covert

This time of year, many Europeans are looking forward to their month-long holiday in August. Workers in America, however, can already feel the strangle of a collared shirt around their neck in 90-degree heat as we continue trying to be productive. As the Cadillac ad that ran nonstop during Super Bowl season hammered home, the European style is to take time off while the American style is to keep the nose to the grindstone. Cadillac may be proud of how hard Americans work and disdainful of the European way of life, but we may be hurting, not helping, ourselves with our out-of-control ethic.

Europeans don’t just look forward to more time off than us in the summer, but all year round. Some of this American work ethic is elective, but some of it is certainly imposed on us. The United States is the only advanced country that doesn't guarantee that its citizens will get paid vacation time and holidays. European countries, meanwhile, ensure at least 20 days of paid vacation, with some going as high as 30 days, and most rich countries make sure workers get at least six paid holidays. That leaves nearly a quarter of Americans without any access to paid vacation time.

The prospects are equally bleak for workers looking to take time off for other reasons. If they or their family members get sick, there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to take a paid day off to deal with it, and about 40 percent can’t. Twenty-two other developed countries ensure paid sick leave. When a couple adopts a child or has a newborn, they’re only guaranteed 12 weeks of unpaid time off, and that’s if they qualify—40 percent don’t—unlike virtually every other country that guarantees paid leave.

We’re even one of just 16 countries that doesn’t make sure that workers get at least some time off during the seven-day week. That weekend most of us enjoy come Friday night is not backed up by American policy, but instead is a voluntary employer perk.

more
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/118285/workaholism-america-hurting-economy

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Workaholism is hurting the American economy (Original Post) n2doc Jun 2014 OP
There are a handful of US companies that offer their employees a Euro-style holiday liberal N proud Jun 2014 #1
My SO and I work at the same place and it never fails that woodsprite Jun 2014 #2
Suzy Orman 4Q2u2 Jun 2014 #3
I continue to be amazed at how many willing buy into the work work work ethic Populist_Prole Jun 2014 #4

liberal N proud

(60,289 posts)
1. There are a handful of US companies that offer their employees a Euro-style holiday
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:53 AM
Jun 2014

I was supposed to get a 6th week of vacation this year instead, they took it away from all those who had already earned it.

I currently get 5 weeks but my wife only gets 4 and can only take them 1 week at a time and from Saturday to Friday, with several key periods of the year blocked out that they are prevented from taking vacation.

So when we get to go on vacation, they are short, spend half the trip traveling.

woodsprite

(11,829 posts)
2. My SO and I work at the same place and it never fails that
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 11:26 AM
Jun 2014

somebody makes a snarky comment about us taking a long vacation. It's not like they can't reach us in an emergency and we leave status reports on where our projects are, etc. Comments have ranged from "why do you need so long?" "don't you get bored?" "How can you stand camping with your kids so long?" "how can you stand so much time with your spouse?"

I personally think they're jealous because they don't have a spouse or kids that they would WANT to spend 3 wks with on an isolated beach, camping, etc.



Adding: We earn almost 2 days a month of vacation and 1.5 days a month of sick leave, which is really good for our area.

Also adding: I'm thankful we have kids that we really like to be with. One is 21 and the other is a slightly moody 14yo.

 

4Q2u2

(1,406 posts)
3. Suzy Orman
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 11:44 AM
Jun 2014

I remember watching her on PBS telling a story about the advice she gave a young woman on how to get her dream job. She was bragging on how she instructed the young girl to work tons of hours a week even while on salary as an intern and ask for no comp time off. Be always at the beck and call of the company, nights, weekends what ever. Make your self as valuable as possible by doing work others could not finish, or fill in the gaps for anybody that was out.
My wife thought what great advice at the same time I was calling her a piece of crap. When ask why? I explained to my wife that she just instructed this girl to undercut all other employees wages by working all those free hours. That all the work she was completing off hours may have used to be overtime for other regular employees. Secondly by her completing other people's work when they were not there also put them in positions where they would have to decide between sick children and going to work. Usually the mother, undercutting all the working mothers in that company while this girl was single and had no children. All this just to get ahead, for what a F-ing Dream Job at a Shoe Company. Well the girl got the super duper dream job jetting all over the world making tons of money due to Suzie' advice. I wonder if she uses the bodies of all the people she trampled on to get into those nice fancy planes. The worst part, the audience as a whole cheered that advice. Selling each other out as a business model and not one person rebuked it.

Populist_Prole

(5,364 posts)
4. I continue to be amazed at how many willing buy into the work work work ethic
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 01:40 PM
Jun 2014

Over the years ( two plus decades ) at the same employer I've noticed two distinct groups: Those who work to live, and those who live to work. I am in the former obviously, but it is the latter group who are what they are for different reasons, although the common theme with them is of an absolute indifference to the value of free time. Overtime is voluntary and the company is never short on bodies willing to work it; in fact a system of a rotating list is in place to make sure everyone gets a chance to work it if desired. Others will take only a fraction of their vacation time off: They'll let it roll over to the next year so they can be paid for it instead. They'll often work one or both of their days off as well.

Reasons are several ( based on my observations )

-Chasing of material wealth otherwise out of reach for just a normal 40 hour week pay scale. They have lots of "stuff", but little time to enjoy it.

-Related to above: Overextended due to credit/debt. Some are also the sole breadwinners due to non-working spouses, yet still "live" like they have 2 incomes.

-Calvanism: I've noted that several are of the "sleep is overrated", "you can sleep when you're dead" types who think idleness is immoral. They sure do look, and I'm sure feel, awful. They seem resigned to it.


It should be noted too, that the above group are quite self-righteous about their constant hustling for more more more. They think those of us who just want to "do our eight, and hit the gate" are lazy and foolish. There are some who get really mad at us. I don't get it; I mean it's not like we taunt them for being workaholics. They think we're crazy for NOT being workaholics.



Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»Workaholism is hurting th...