Should working-age adults get a long break every year?

Depends on the company and whether or not they can afford it. It shouldn't be a law or anything.

Don't most people get 4 weeks holiday anyway.. couldn't they just take it all in 1 go...?

Is this a paid break? If so, I'm totally in!

I think long breaks are important for the health and welfare of all working class. however, it being optional and not mandatory is a must. Also, the places of employment need to be capable of maintaining optimul service which is why the US is not able to support long leaves of absences. With reduced workforces and mandatory overtimes, and too much relying on a few key employees instead of equal training and delegating, the US sucks at this. This would entail a major overhaul of how business is run here, they tried it once in the eighties with the "on demand" idea, and it was based on Asian work philosophy, but it didn't catch on because of the cultural differences. The best ideas of that were kept, but again, reduced workforces are a major flaw in the extended holiday idea. They would have to get some people off of unemployment to make it happen, and I don't see this for a while.

I think most places need you to be employed for more than 3 years before you get 4 weeks. It might even be more. My last job, we had 17 guaranteed days off out of 365. Then we had 2 weeks we could take off, but were never gaurenteed. The company was able to take them away even at the last minute. It wouldn't have mattered if you invested $1500 in tickets and reservations. Weekends and overtime, you were always at the mercy of the company. They could make you stay and force you in. I wouldn't have wanted to clump all the days together, because I would never know for the rest of the year when I could get another day off. I am sure alot of large companies are run like this, and government jobs.

No. Go and live in France if you want a month straight off.

I'm in favor of frequent long breaks. I'm not in favor of forcing these breaks on anyone.

What limited options.

My answer is no, but not that we should work continously. Just not have a whole month off without any other breaks in the year.

I like taking time off in Spring, Summer and Autumn. I could do with a few extra weeks though rather than the 4 that I get now.

France is a socialist country with a screwed up economy. It would be a big mistake to copy what they do. They would be better off copying what the US does.

We should have breaks.....But only if we get paied for it.....

Depends on whether the worker gets a paid break or has to pay for it themselves.

Realistically, I think this sort of thing requires an economy that will support it. From the point of view of someone who has to schedule workers around holidays and vacations, I know what a nightmare it can be for the employers.

I suppose that if enough people really want it and they are willing to "fight" for it, the employers and the government will have to make the necessary arrangements.

If you want to retire before 55, and my own parents did this (at 52), you have to make your own arrangements. My parents were able to do it because they had a much better economy in Canada back then (1955-1985). My parents were both educated professionals and made decent money, but rather than spending it on luxuries, they lived like we were a lot less well off than we were and put all their money into investments. Now they are reaping the rewards, they have three residences that they move around to during the course of the year and they have traveled to every continent on the planet (except Antarctica) at least once...

I thought that most workers in the US got a few weeks of vacation already...

Definitely

As I said in qualification, being a working-age adult isn't the same as being a working adult. Just because someone is working-age, doesn't mean they are gainfully employed. I would also base my answer on whether or not we would be paid for this time off or would it come out of our pocket.

Well, duh.

Assuming it's paid time off, absolutely.
At my current job, I don't get any paid days off; not a sick day or a holiday or nuthin'.

Definitely.

Would this apply to all working-age adults whether or not they are employed? Or would it only apply to those with jobs? Would it be a paid break or an unpaid break?

We get 25 paid days off a year if you work 100% (=40 hours per week). And most of the time 2 or 3 days extra, like the days after X-mas or New Year.

I'm moving to France, besides Johnny Depp lives there.

Yes, definitely. There's something very wrong with the way it's done in America.

Hey...... people who don't work need breaks too!

For example: They need a break from people saying "Get a job!"

Yes, all the working adults should get breaks. The human body just isn't made to take the kind of abuse that working constantly can bring. My first thought was that the wording of the question was odd. Just because you are working-age, doesn't mean you are working. If you are on welfare, you don't deserve anything until you make a contribution to society, not suck the life out of it. (This, of course, does not apply to the handicapped who can't work.) While a month straight every year is a bit much, maybe a couple two-week breaks would be in order.

A lot of posters on this survey are talking like the survey creator meant for the time off to be forced upon the worker. I hope that isn't what is meant. I think a great idea would be to offer more time off at a somewhat reduced pay. You could save up during the working year to offset the balance, and get a longer break than the measly one week that most companies offer. Then the companies can't complain much about (we know they'll find something to dog about) what it costs them. Sure, the schedule will be stretched some, but happy, healthy workers are worth it in efficiency and loyalty.

Yes!!

we do, its called annual leave and sick leave

You should work 2 days a week and be off 5.

Anyone can take a month off if they store up vacation time.

no, because that would only cause the Chinese to be kicking our ass even moreso than they allready are. I hear that in India their kids start to learn calculus before 8th grade. If we all take such long breaks, our economy would be in deep doo doo.

Yes, I agree on that but I don't think that was the intent of the survey creator.

Don't they have double digit unemployment?


> They would be better off copying what the US does.

Actually, if anything, they would be even more better off copying what the Japanese do. On that note, it wouldn't the US to be copying the Japanese model. Their system really seems to kick ass for some reason.

> Don't they have double digit unemployment?

Yep, France and Germany have double digit unemployment. The people who do work in France are usually on vacation or on strike. I don't think any of them die from exhaustion.

> Actually, if anything, they would be even more better off copying
> what the Japanese do. On that note, it wouldn't the US to be copying
> the Japanese model. Their system really seems to kick ass for some
> reason.

Yep, the Japanese do pretty good when it comes to work. I'd still stick to how we do things in the US though.

I know. I'm just joking.

we should have long breaks...I think people would be healthier and happier if they took longer breaks every year.

Okay.

I called them vacations. I couldn't afford to take time off without pay. One month off with pay would be sweet, especially if more than one break a year.

Yesh, yesh... breaksh GOOD!

If it's a paid break, I say Viva la France!