Optimist Economy
Optimist Economy
Kathryn Anne Edwards and Robin Rauzi
Stop Donating Your Vacation Days to Your Boss
50 minutes Posted Aug 4, 2026 at 8:30 am.
Announcements
Retcon Marathon
Terms & Conditions: Statutory Leave
Big Pilcrow: Vacation Days
Why Do We Think We Can't Take Time Off?
No Staffing Slack in the Office
Vacation Guilt is a Real Thing
What's Worker Power Got to Do With It?
Decline in Days Off: What the Data Says
Vague Numbers of Vacation Days
Cost of Travel is Up
Statutory Leave Could Create Jobs
What are Workers Leaving on the Table?
How Much Does Vacation Time Cost Employers?
Vacation Marxist Economics-Style
The Curse of the Long-Weekend Vacation
Could the Government Mandate Vacation Time?
Executive Orders: ACFC wins and Americans with Children Act
Spiritual Sponsors: Lizards!
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Show notes
Nearly 90% of private-sector workers get paid vacation days from their job, but a Pew survey found 46% leave at least some of it on the table. Government survey data also show that the share of workers who are on vacation in any given week has fall by about half between 1980 and 2022. Blame thin staffing, guilt culture, and “PTO bundles” that push people to ration days between vacation days and sick leave. The fix exists elsewhere: the European Union, for instance, guarantees 20 paid days a year. If a Costco cashier is able to vacation in Europe twice, so should you.
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