Florida Representative Alan Grayson has introduced the Paid Vacation Act of 2009. This proposed legislation provides for the first-ever US law to require businesses to provide all fulltime employees with paid vacation days.
Many Americans are under the impression that such legislation already exists, but if you are one of the 28 million US workers who receive zero paid vacation days, then you already know there is no labor law currently in place to guarantee workers even one day per year of paid vacation time. What may surprise you most is that the US is the only industrialized nation without a minimum annual leave statute and that at least 147 countries have a specific law that addresses and requires employers to provide paid vacation time to workers.
What the Critics Say about the Paid Vacation Act
As good as the new Paid Vacation Act sounds, let’s be fair and look at what critics are saying about the proposed law. While Grayson says the law applies only to fulltime employees, the proposed law’s definition of fulltime includes anyone working a minimum of 25 hours per week or 1250 hours per year, which doesn’t sound like fulltime to most people. The law would apply to companies with as few as 100 employees, which means that some of the employers impacted qualify as small businesses. More importantly, the law, as proposed, would also mandate that three years after its effective date, employers would be required to then begin providing two weeks of paid vacation, while companies with 50 or more employees would begin having to provide one week of paid vacation time.
Critics of the bill say that passing it could motivate some companies to hold employee numbers below the 100- or 50-employee threshold, thereby reducing the number of available jobs. The Society for Human Resource Management points out that, “… a one-size fits all, government-imposed mandate is not the answer.” And of course, with so many struggling businesses, and so many Americans currently unemployed or underemployed, desperately seeking a job (even one with no vacation time), how can legislators justify passing any bill that puts more economic burden on the backs of employers? The timing of this bill, critics say, is just not right.
Why the Critics May be Wrong about the Paid Vacation Act
Now for the other side of the argument … As the ARDA (American Resort Development Association) website, VacationBetter.org points out, the relationship between your health and your vacation days is startling. According to VacationBetter.org, “Studies have firmly established that men who don’t take vacations are 32 percent more likely to die of heart attacks and women are 50 percent more likely. Lack of vacation time doubles the rate of depression for women. Whereas after vacations, workers gain an hour per night of quality sleep and their reaction times are 30 to 40 percent faster, improvements that last for several months.”
The Center for Economic and Policy Research points out that, “… a lack of vacation causes stress and workplace burnout, and that those evil twins cost the economy more than $300 billion each year.”
In Europe, every worker gets at least four weeks of paid vacation time by law (French law requiring the most with 30 days of paid leave), yet despite this, the Euro is rising while the US dollar is falling. According to Mark Rosekind of Alertness Solutions, vacations can result in as much as an 82 percent increase in performance, and studies at Iowa State University show that workers demonstrate a 60 percent increase in productivity in the month or two following a vacation.
Congressman Grayson says, “Why are paid vacations good enough for the Chinese, French, Japanese, and German employees, but not good enough for us? In other countries, it’s a matter of right. Everyone is entitled to it. In our country, it is a matter of class. Over time we are coming to realize that whatever your background, wherever you grew up, wherever you live, there are certain basic elements that people need to have enjoyable lives. They need health care. They need a decent paying job. And for a good life, they need time off.”
Grayson, who represents the Eighth District in Florida (which includes the Orlando-Kissimmee vacation area), believes that passing the bill into law will not only improve work environments for individuals but will substantially jumpstart the economy with tourist dollars. Reuters News shows that the US Tour Operators Association and the Adventure Travel Trade Association both support the bill, while the US Travel Association has yet to speak out on it.
Paid Vacation Time and Timeshare Resales and Timeshare Rentals
As the people at Festiva Resorts pointed out in a recent blog post about the proposed vacation law, “…who deserves a vacation? Everyone does! If you are spending this Memorial Day at a Festiva Resort or any other timeshare or vacation ownership resort, then cheers to you!”
With roughly one quarter of the American workforce potentially affected by the bill, should it pass, some 28 million people could suddenly become the recipient of a week of paid vacation time, a schedule which greatly lends itself to choosing a timeshare vacation. Timeshare vacations reduce or eliminate the time and stress involved in vacation planning and put you on the fast track to vacation enjoyment and relaxation. You know before you go what type of accommodations and amenities your timeshare resort vacation destination provides, and you bypass the hassle of searching for availability and affordability in hotel or motel rooms. When you get only one week of vacation time, you can maximize the benefit of it with an easy-to-enjoy, easy-to-afford timeshare resale or timeshare rental.
For timeshare owners looking to sell timeshare, or use it as a timeshare rental, the idea that 28 million Americans could soon be in the market for affordable vacation lodging might be a great benefit for them, as well.
Yes, there are two sides to every story, but no matter where you stand on the proposed legislation, it is difficult to argue against the proven mental and physical benefits a vacation affords.
Here’s more information on the importance of taking a vacation from VacationBetter.org:
