Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

1. Based on the visual above, how many paid holidays and vacation days does the U.S. government mandate by law?

2. What was most surprising about this information?

3. What is the big story this chart tells?

4. Why do you think the US has such a low level of vacation time compared to all other wealthy nations?

5. What is one consequence of not having any mandated paid vacation time?

6. Do you think that Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election will lead to more government programs like mandated paid time off?

7. What about U.S. history or the U.S. political system, or American political culture and values help explain why we are so different in terms of time off from the rest of the wealthy world?

8. Do you consider countries like Norway, Germany, or Sweden, all which get over 25 paid days off a year, to be lazy or economically weak countries?

9. Describe the different ways liberals and  conservatives might react to this chart:

10. In the comments section, Based on paid vacation time, explain which country from this list would you most like to live in:

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Contact your congressional representative and let them know what you think about the fact that the U.S. is the only economically advanced nation that gets 0 paid vacation time.

Get Creative

I asked AI to compose a limerick about American paid leave and it came up with this:

In the US, time off's quite a plight,

Paid leave is a worker's lost right.

While other lands boast,

A break at no cost,

Americans toil day and through the night.

Ask AI to compose a sonnet, gangsta rap, or country song about American paid leave.

Learning Extension

You can read the entire report on our non-vacation nation from the Center for Economic and Policy Research

Silly Visual Extension