SESSION 16: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 1st FEBRUARY

SESSION 16: TEXT FOR WEDNESDAY 1st FEBRUARY

AMERICANS GIVE UP $34 BILLION OF VACATION

TEXT TAKEN AND/OR ADAPTED FROM:

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

THE TEXT:

U.S. workers are among the worst in the world for not taking all their vacation days. Their bosses might say they are among the best in the world for working their holidays. Either way, Americans will give up $34.3 billion in paid vacation leave in 2012, which is the equivalent of 226 million days off. These figures come from an annual survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Expedia. They questioned 7,083 employees in 20 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. The top reason for Americans not using up their holidays was not being able to afford a holiday (34%). This was followed by lack of planning (15%), the statement "work is my life" (15%) and feeling bad about asking the boss for time off.

Workers in other countries don’t appear to have a problem taking vacations. French workers get an average 30 vacation days a year and generally use them all. In the UK, employees get 25 days and pretty much take all of them. Asia is the only region where workers receive and take fewer holidays than Americans. The average Japanese worker only gets 11 days a year and takes just five of them. Indians are also reluctant to take all of their vacation. Expedia found that 20 per cent of workers in India did not take all their holidays because they "may be perceived negatively at work". In America, bosses believe it is important that workers use all their vacation so they can come back to work feeling refreshed.

'Americans Give Up $34 Billion of Vacation' - 3rd December, 2011
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/