Even as a quarter of Americans cite work as the number one stressor in their lives, the United States continues to be the only advanced economy that does not guarantee its workers paid vacation – time off that’s taken solely for rest and leisure outside of paid sick, family or medical leave. While other wealthy nations guarantee paid annual leave by law at an average of 20 working days per year or more, the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) still does not require employers to provide payment for any form of vacation time.
As a result, the average number of paid vacation days granted to American workers with one year of job tenure is a mere 11 days per year – and 23 percent of the workforce lacks access to even a single day of paid vacation. That access is much lower for those who work in sectors outside of well-compensated management and financial professions: only 23 percent of teachers and 58 percent of workers in service occupations have paid vacation, while just 43 percent of the lowest-paid workers get any paid vacation days. And while some may have access to unpaid leave, sacrificing a paycheck is hardly a recipe for rest and relaxation. As of 2018, 18.8 percent of workers with access to unpaid leave could not apply it towards vacation time.
In an economy shaped by white supremacy, the lack of paid vacation time offered to low-wage, service professionals also means that women of color are the most likely to be denied time for leisure, rest, and self-care. A history of occupational segregation has forced Black and Latina women into roles that lack employer-provided benefits such as paid sick and vacation time based on the racist narrative that women of color can do all the work, all the time, without the right to rest. It’s no coincidence that Black women maintain the highest labor force participation among all women and have far less access to paid vacation than their white peers.
Even for those who do have access to vacation, there is a false notion that vacation time is a “privilege” or “perk” awarded to only the most deserving, ideal workers who work the longest hours and most days. This unattainable standard undercuts workers’ ability to take the rest they have earned. Almost one-third of PTO provided in the U.S. goes unused. In 2018, Americans left 768 million days on the table. The pressure to persevere is even worse for women and workers of color. A recent poll showed women are more likely than men to feel badly about co-workers taking on additional work during their time off (48% vs. 39%), and Black workers are more likely than White workers to say that they worry taking time off could cost them their job (21% vs. 13%).
Pushing through fatigue doesn’t come without a cost, especially for women of color. While those with typical 9-to-5 jobs may have time to recover after working hours or over the weekend, those in the service industries may not have access to a 48-hour period of recovery or are at the mercy of inconsistent schedules. Not to mention that women average 25 more additional minutes of caregiving than men each day, which means those weekends are not necessarily spent resting.
This extra time on the clock takes its toll. A study by the World Health Organization found that working 55 hours or more a week was associated with a 35 percent higher risk of stroke and a 17 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease. For women managing caregiving responsibilities, this stress translates to an increased risk of racing heartbeat (25% of women vs. 11% of men) and trouble sleeping (52% of women vs. 32% of men).
If we want to reduce the burnout that is chipping away at the health of women of color, providing paid vacation days is a proven investment. Even short vacations of four days have been shown to have positive effects on a worker’s well being – including reducing the risk for strokes and heart diseases caused by metabolic syndrome, a cardiovascular condition more common among Black women than their white peers.
Additionally, taking a break from the workplace is a key part of protecting womens’ mental health. A recent study found that for every ten additional days of paid vacation leave, the odds of depression was 29 percent lower in women overall – avoiding an estimated 568,442 cases of depression each year. Businesses benefit when their employees take breaks too. A study found that when employees took extra vacation time, performance improved.
Currently, Maine, Nevada, and Illinois are the only states that give covered employees the right to earn and use paid time off towards any reason, including vacation. That’s why U.S. House Representatives Magaziner, Budzinski, Casar and Crockett have introduced the PTO Act, which would require employers to provide each employee no less than one hour of earned paid annual leave for every 25 hours worked. This would amount to 80 hours, or two weeks, of paid leave per year for full-time employees to be used for any reason, including time for rest and relaxation.
Vacation and leisure time should be a right, not a luxury – especially for the women of color shouldering extra demands in the workforce and at home. It’s time for employers and policymakers to recognize rest as an economic justice issue that’s essential to not only protecting our physical and mental health, but our family and community life.
