Has anyone else wondered why the US is the only developed nation that doesn’t have mandated PTO?

16 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 4:05PM UTC

   It's a mindset that is supported by the culture. The US is a very wealth focused culture built around the American dream. Other countries are much less focused on accumulating wealth and assets. PTO is not our focus here.

2. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 7:51PM UTC

   Yes I’ve heard people joke that Europe shuts down for August. But I have colleagues over there who’ve seen more of our national parks than myself or most of my friends.

3. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 4:37PM UTC

   Not gonna happen here. And I feel like we are moving further away from that now. If anything, it's up to individual states to decide. Kinda like how some are now moving to providing some sort of paid maternity leave, or mandated sick time or whatever. Federally, it's a no go.

4. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 5:45PM UTC

   Not really. the US likes to tout itself as this great place with this incredible vision built on the individual's worth and hard work will get you everything you want. In reality, it's just the place where the uber rich get richer off the work of everyone else. Meanwhile the prolls get told they need to blame the lazy, the poor, the 'Other' for why their lives suck. Stupidly, they fall for it, the entire country has fallen for it. "If you work hard enough you will be rewarded". Biggest load of BS.

5. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 6:00PM UTC

   It's the culture mindset. I do work for a US company and my role is almost 90% in another country and the differences have their pros and cons. Look at history and culture, then in lies the answer. Your question is not a new one that has been mulled over for decades. My US company has come a long way, we are too big for a mandate, there I said it. That costs, where do you think it goes to? Products and services.

6. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 7:48PM UTC

   So? What PTO we already have is factored into costs as you say. But you’re a good example of our mindset. I’m more offended that top executives get insane payouts. What about those affecting goods and services.

7. AnonymousFebruary 7,2025 at 1:49PM UTC

   I have unlimited PTO and and can work from anywhere, figuring that 'cost' into my salary is not an option, let's be clear. Yes, it would be great to have a European work culture, so awesome it is, and sadly our, dare I say 'leaders' are putting us through a tough time, but it can't take over our hope for future changes. Not a political post, don't make it into that, and I'm not a good example of our mindset, I acknowledge and understand how we got here, very different. Control what we can,be offended on top execs getting loads of money, try not to get stuck there (mindset). It may be too much to further explain the goods and services adjustment that will be needed to be more Europe, look into that. It's overwhelming, I wish we could, realistically it's a long road that hopefully we are on and making it shorter day by day.

8. AnonymousFebruary 6,2025 at 6:06PM UTC

   I'm no expert, but working for 40 years, it took Covid to help companies give employers a break for self care. In my earlier working years in the mid-80's, there was absolutely no self care, not enough PTO, nor anyone in a higher role saying 'take the time you need'. I can't say for certainty that applies with every company, but all of a sudden I'm seeing in my org more info out on EAP programs. This is nothing more than a bandaid for a retention problem. Different countries are different in their approach to working. Thankfully where I work we earn more leave the longer we are there but there is a stipulation on how many days per year you can take. I think it's a yeah take the time off, but not too much. And lastly, I see a huge difference in generations that believe in work, work, work till you kick the bucket. I see this with more baby boomers (I'm a GenX). They watched their parents work with maybe 1 week off per year. So with that, I give those who report to me breaks. You know, it's okay if you need a day off mentality.

9. Balanced372207February 9,2025 at 6:56PM UTC

   You are a decent supervisor.

10. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 6,2025 at 10:04PM UTC

    We're also the only first world country that has a for-profit healthcare system.

11. AnonymousFebruary 7,2025 at 8:14AM UTC

    I work in the developing world and we have 21 days of annual leave (paid) mandated by law. 60 working maternity leave days (paid) mandated by law, 4 paternity and sick leave of up to 30 days.

    I think the US is more worried about the cost to the companies more than the cost to the human being.

12. AnonymousFebruary 7,2025 at 2:49PM UTC

    As someone living in Europe and working for an American company, we do have many additional "perks", such as 30 PTO days per year, sick leave of up to one year on full pay and extra job security (it can be very hard to fire people in EU). HOWEVER, the US colleagues are paid significantly more. It's a tradeoff, and it really depends on what you want. I have many colleagues, specially younger ones, who want to move to the US to make more money!

13. AnonymousFebruary 8,2025 at 3:29PM UTC

    The more the government mandates, the less freedom you have. Our nation is about freedom. Companies have freedom to run the way they see fit.

14. Rebecca MillikenFebruary 8,2025 at 7:42PM UTC

    Take into account healthcare costs in the US that many in other countries take for granted. While as someone pointed out the US colleagues get paid more, if you get a serious illness or an accident, that money means nothing.

15. AnonymousFebruary 10,2025 at 2:11PM UTC

    Do we though? After Federal, state, county, city, property, sales, gas etc? We don't really-our leaders are just good at brain washing us into thinking we do. We do, however, get a LOT less for our taxes than most other nations, so there is that.....

16. AnonymousFebruary 12,2025 at 1:37PM UTC

    This is such an inanely ignorant comment that it does not justify any more response than this. Educate yourself. Or at this point, you can just wait and see exactly how much the 'Government' does for the everyday person in this country. Does it run perfectly? No. Are there a lot of things that could be improved on? Yes. Are people going to die because of the mass destruction of services, agencies and policies? Yes. A lot of them. You won't hear about them because the Administration doesn't want you to, and you stick to whatever pablum media that feeds your internal narrative.

    You think you understand what the Government is and what it does, and how much it wastes because people who have an agenda to make you hate it all are telling you how horrible it is. Guess we all are going to find out what it's like to live under a puppet dictator with a shadow government behind him.