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Study: America's Workers In 'Vacation Crisis'
Sacramento Workers Take Most Vacation Days
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Have you made vacation plans yet?
A new study suggests many U.S. workers have not and will not, leaving their vacation time unused.
The study, conducted by Universal Orlando Resort, showed that workers are in the midst of a self-imposed vacation crisis.
About half of the nation's full-time workers did not use all of the vacation days they earned in the past year, forfeiting an average of eight vacation days each -- nearly half of the number of days available to them, the study found.
"Can you imagine your reaction if you were told in a job interview that you were expected to work eight days each year for free?” said Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts. "That’s what about half of the American workforce is doing."
The vacation sacrifices are the equivalent of more than 3 million years of unused vacation each year, according to the study.
"Ultimately, though, it’s not just about whether you’re taking full advantage of your compensation and benefits. It’s about whether you’re taking full advantage of life," said Williams.
The study found that where you live makes a big difference in whether you use your vacation time.
Full-time workers who live in Newark, N.J. received and took the least amount of time off, while workers in Sacramento, Calif., received and took the most vacation days.
Bert Sperling, of Sperling's Best Places, helped conduct the study. He said the top-ranking cities for unused vacation are in areas that have higher unemployment rates.
"Areas with shaky economies tend to have businesses which have more control over their workers,” said Sperling. "The implication might be that workers who have job security concerns want to be seen as indispensable to their employers; taking vacation -- in their minds -- would undermine that, " he added.
Vacation Deprivation
Here's the top 10 list of cities where workers take the fewest vacation days.
Newark, N.J.
Miami
Bergen-Passaic, N.J.
San Antonio
Atlanta
Austin – San Marcos, Texas
Charlotte – Gastonia – Rock Hill, N.C.
Philadelphia
Houston
New York
Vacation Elation
Here’s the top 10 list of cities where workers take the most vacation.
Sacramento, Calif.
Nashville, Tenn.
Seattle – Bellevue- Everett, Wash.
Oakland, Calif.
San Jose, Calif.
Riverside – San Bernardino, Calif.
Portland – Vancouver, Ore.
Salt Lake City – Ogden, Utah
Columbus, Ohio
Denver
Expert: All Work, No Play Harmful
Vacation advocate and author of "Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life," Joe Robinson, said workers who leave vacation days on the table aren’t doing themselves -- or their employers -- any favors.
"The study reinforces the sad fact that our workaholic culture looks down on people taking their well-earned vacation time, when, in fact, the science shows that job performance increases after a vacation, because you come back recharged and rejuvenated," said Robinson.
"Time off is medicine. It’s as important to your health as watching your cholesterol or getting exercise. An annual vacation can cut the risk of heart disease in men by 30 percent and in women by 50 percent," he added.
Here are Robinson's top five tips to get the vacation you deserve:
Don't wait until it's too late. Start thinking about what you want to do on your holiday at least six months ahead of time. Planning ahead commits the boss -- and you -- to the vacation, so it’s less likely to be postponed or scrapped at the last minute.
Cross-train your colleagues. Train a colleague or two on your job so they can fill in some of your tasks while you’re gone. You’ll do the same for them. Cross-training is the secret to long vacations in Europe.
Cut the e-leash. Set up your e-mail with an "out of office" tag, and don’t let any laptops, pagers or other work devices stow away with you. If you’re in touch with the office, you’re not on vacation.
Don’t Abbreviate. Push for all the time you can get. Three-day weekends are fine, but they’re not vacations.
Unpack Before You Go. Leave behind the productive work mind set and the guilt that goes with it. Vacations are not about output; they’re about input – exploring, learning, experiencing, relaxing.
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