Take your time

TODAY IS "Take Back Your Time Day," a reminder that the remaining nine weeks of the year are extra weeks Americans work above and beyond what's supposedly "normal" in Western Europe.

Many know this story all too well. As children lamented the end of their summer freedom, the beginning of a new school year marked the end of the family vacation season in America. Irresistible airline specials, hot vacation packages, and colorful ads for family fun have dwindled as the weather starts to cool. But not everyone had a respite, nor will they as we approach the winter holidays. While millions took to the roads and skies this summer, many just kept working. Not because they wanted to, but because paid "vacation time" in America is a perk, not a part of the social contract.

The United States has the unfortunate distinction of not requiring companies to provide paid vacation or sick days to their workers. We're not alone: The Chinese government doesn't require paid vacation time either.

In Hungary, workers enjoy 20 days of paid vacation; Chile, 15 days; South Africa, 21 days. Pretty much every modern society places value on the concept of "time off" -- that is, except for the United States and China.

Close to 1 in 5 private sector workers do not get paid vacation days and more often than not overworked professionals feel too vulnerable in their jobs to take a day off, let alone several days to frolic with their families. Or sip margaritas with friends. One in three workers with paid vacation days don't take the time off thanks to their bosses -- you know, the Type A, "when I say jump, you jump" type -- who boast about their teams' dedication to the company (and the extra green lining their own pockets).

The fear that binds workers to their desks is pervasive in corporate culture, so much so that we hardly acknowledge it for the insanity it is. Is it really attractive to have a workforce that believes that if they leave the office, everything will fall apart? It's not just high-powered law firms and brokerage houses where you'll find this fear and vulnerability. Customer service, banking, manufacturing, public utilities, nonprofits in all sectors you find the sick worker that feels guilty for having a fever, the flu, a broken leg, or even an emotional breakdown over a death or divorce. Asking for time off is not seen as a smart move for anyone who wants to get ahead.

Some corporations will rightly claim to provide vacations, though five days out of a year is hardly generous enough to call a vacation. Fifty-nine percent of service workers who have worked at least a year in a company receive less than five days of paid vacation. With such a limited time to take a vacation, combined with the low wages that prevail in the services industry, it is hard for workers to take the time.

Then there are those who go on vacation, but bring the office with them. You've seen them: children splashing in the pool while their dad or mom has their head in their Blackberry. Changing scenery does not change the fact that workers keep working, meaning less time that they spend with their children, family, and friends.

So why do so many of us do it? Why are workers -- who receive the smallest fraction of the company profits -- willing to sacrifice so much? Because the threats of outsourcing and downsizing has put our backs against the wall. Signaling that you're willing to give your life over to the job is the primordial equivalent of beating one's chest to protect your turf.

This turf mentality can be attributed to the harsh reality that workers have been experiencing in the last decades. American families are struggling to stay afloat in an unstable economy. It is not surprising to hear about job instability, downsizing, and declining employee benefits.

One could argue that time off is part of the benefit package; compensation earned. That's true. But it is even more than that: its health care and an investment in families. Time off should be considered a civil right -- at least that's how the modern world views it.

Tamara Draut is director of the economic opportunity program at Demos and author of "Strapped: Why America's 20-and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead." Jose A. Garcia is senior research and policy associate at Demos.