# How much vacation time do you take each year?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 14, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413 "2010-05-14T12:28:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/1 "2010-05-14T12:28:28Z")
Note I did NOT say “get each year” (because some people apparently don’t take the time off that they get from their employers).
Me, I usually shoot for 1-2 weeks overall; my job doesn’t offer paid vacation time, but since I love my job it’s no biggie to me.
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### Author:  [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/2 "2010-05-14T12:31:37Z")
In the UK it is standard to take your full allotment of paid vacation time every year. I take 25 days booked when I wish + 8 statutory holiday days.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/3 "2010-05-14T12:43:06Z")
I get 3 weeks, but I’m relatively new in this job and have only taken a handful of days off since I started 6 months ago.
In previous jobs I also got 3 weeks, but rarely was able to take all 3. However including time off over Christmas I’d say three weeks is the likely answer for me.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/4 "2010-05-14T12:59:13Z")
I get 4 weeks (20 days). And we have about 10-12 holidays. I take 'em.
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### Author:  [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/5 "2010-05-14T13:06:39Z")
My total allotment of paid time off for 2010 is 34 days. Six of these will be used for company holidays, probably none will be used for sick days, so I have 28 days to use for vacations and single days off. I will probably take four week-long vacations and use the rest for long weekends.
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### Author:  [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/6 "2010-05-14T13:14:09Z")
> [@enipla](#):
>
> I get 4 weeks (20 days). And we have about 10-12 holidays. I take 'em.
Oh, heh, I put three weeks because I think I get 20 days too (I should check), but I was thinking calendar weeks.
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### Author:  [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/7 "2010-05-14T13:15:41Z")
We’re on the PTO program – Paid Time Off. I get so many days and that has to cover all vacation, personal days, sick days and holidays. So after all is said and done, its more like 5 or 6 weeks for me … but I do tend to take holidays off.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/8 "2010-05-14T13:19:33Z")
5 weeks (in addition to personal and sick but those are rare) which I’ve finally started taking the full allotment of. Used to be I thought working through some portion of that would show dedication or would just be so busy that at the end of the year there were less days on the calendar that what I was still owed. No more, now I plan throughout, take them all and am more rested mentally and physically throughout the year.
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### Author:  [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/9 "2010-05-14T13:19:35Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#):
>
> Oh, heh, I put three weeks because I think I get 20 days too (I should check), but I was thinking calendar weeks.
I assumed that weeks in this poll = 5 days. because I am on 33 days a year I went for 7 weeks
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### Author:  [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/10 "2010-05-14T13:21:58Z")
Yeah, it makes more sense that it would mean work week. In that case, my answer is 4. We have 20ish days of PTO which you can use for whatever you like, plus paid holidays off. I wish they took the holidays and converted them to PTO. Maybe I _want_ to work on Thanksgiving, but I guess they’d rather not keep the lights on for the five people who would actually show up.
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### Author:  [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/11 "2010-05-14T13:24:14Z")
I get 15 days ‘vacation’ time, 10 days ‘sick’ time and two days ‘personal’ time. I also get tossed a few comp days here and there. I make it a point to use up all my personal and vacation time, and this year I’m also going to try to burn up all my sick days.
No using the time off you’ve been given is like not cashing a paycheck, in my book.
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### Author:  [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/12 "2010-05-14T13:32:03Z")
I get about 3.5 weeks regular vacation, plus some holidays. It totals to 29 or 30 days, depending on the year (and where Xmas and 4th July fall). I assumed “week” meant workweek. Since we’re on a 9/80 schedule, we actually get an additional ~22-24 days off per year (some fall during other holidays). Bringing the total days-off per year to over 50.
We’re also allowed to go “negative” on our vacation hours (up to one week). I use all the time available, and am usually negative at years end.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/13 "2010-05-14T13:58:19Z")
I try and work about 100 days a year. That leaves me like, oh, 265 or so to just fuck off however I like. Yes, if I can, I try and work all 100 in a row (or as close together as possible).
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### Author:  [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/14 "2010-05-14T14:08:18Z")
I get 17 days annually, plus 11 paid holidays, plus one floating holiday and three “personal” days.
I take every last stinkin’ one. 😃
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### Author:  [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/15 "2010-05-14T14:10:12Z")
I get 14 days off, paid, every year - this includes holidays and such, I work at a hospital so we don’t really get paid holidays since we’re open every day of the year.
I take all of them!
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### Author:  [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/16 "2010-05-14T14:17:36Z")
I don’t get paid time off but the pharma I work for shuts down for a week and change over the holidays, plus I take a day here, a couple days there, maybe a week in the summer, the usual holidays, probably adds up to 4 weeks or so total. Not having PTO sucks.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/17 "2010-05-14T14:19:17Z")
I am allowed five days of vacation a year. I spend two of them at Orycon, and three at GameStorm.
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### Author:  [@breaking-reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaking-reality)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/18 "2010-05-14T14:21:57Z")
I get 2 weeks now with my job. I also take 2 weeks. One is always over Christmas/New Years, and the other usually in the summer/fall. I also get 3 sick/personal days and can use them how I please, so I take some 3-4 day weekends to travel or just stay at home and relax a couple times a year.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/19 "2010-05-14T14:22:44Z")
I’m self employed, so I guess I take what I want. We do two weeks in the Caribbean each year. I take some Fridays off as well (mainly to kayak in the summer). So I take 3 weeks total.
However, to balance that I would point out that I take zero sick days. Common cold? I work. Hung over to the point I’m vomiting? Work. Dysentery? Yep.
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### Author:  [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-vacation-time-do-you-take-each-year/539413/20 "2010-05-14T14:28:50Z")
I get three weeks combined vacation and sick leave. However I also get comp time if I go over 45 hours in any week and I can carry comp time and vacation time over from year to year. As of 2008 I had something like 18 weeks due me. I kept threatening to wait until I had 25 weeks due, take it all at once and get a job at an amusement park for the summer.
Last year I used one weeks vacation. This year, so far, I have used 10 weeks due to family issues.
My long-term goal has suffered a setback.
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