Forum Post: Keep Working America-Good short read

Washington-- As millions of Americans pack their cars ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the United States remains alone among the world's advanced economies in its lack of guaranteed paid vacation time for workers, according to a new report.

In an update to an earlier analysis, the left-leaning Center for Economic and Policy Research looked at the vacation policies in 16 European countries, along with Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S. Among the 21 countries, the U.S. was the only one without a mandate that employers provide some kind of paid time off.

Most U.S. employers do actually offer paid vacation of their own volition. But with this common benefit remaining a prerogative for businesses, the report's authors estimate that roughly one in four U.S. workers have no paid vacation time, and that those workers are employed disproportionately in low-wage jobs that lack other benefits like health care or sick leave.

John Schmitt, an economist and one of the report's authors, argued that the lack of a mandate exacerbates America's growing economic inequality.

"It's time to bring them into the fold," Schmitt said of the estimated 23 percent who don't enjoy paid vacation. "There are firms that are profitable and do provide vacation. Frankly, it concerns me that someone's business model or success relies on not giving employees vacation."

The European system is far more generous when it comes to giving workers a break. Countries there guarantee at least 20 vacation days per year, and some as high as 25 or 30. Canada mandates at least 10 days per year for workers.

In addition, most of the other countries examined require that workers receive paid time off on certain national holidays, with many European countries providing 10 or more such days in a year. The U.S., however, has no such mandate.