After rushing home from what was likely an abbreviated holiday break with family, Americans will be back in the office today. Imagine if your annual two weeks, which you likely plan ever-so-carefully, were doubled—or more. Most of the world doesn’t have to imagine such a luxury.

Employees in countries such as Brazil and Australia enjoy more than a month of vacation each year. Australians also benefit from 10 public holidays, while Brazilians enjoy a 33-percent salary vacation bonus. Employers in Finland, Norway and Sweden offer workers 25 days of paid leave each year, while Portuguese and Spanish employees receive more than three weeks paid vacation. The French receive more than 5 weeks of vacation, and government workers there enjoy 9 weeks annually!

In fact, the United States is the only member of the 34-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that does not require employers to provide any paid leave to employees. American employers are so anti-vacation that many employees don’t even use all of the paid time to which they are entitled, for fear of losing their jobs or appearing lazy to their managers.

“It’s interesting that many workers are not taking advantage of their available vacation days for the year, yet are hungry for more time off,” Joyce Russell of Adecco Staffing told Business News Daily.

The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require employers to offer pay for time not worked, such as sick time, holidays or vacation. Most Americans do receive 14-15 days off per year, however according to a recent survey conducted by Expedia.com, only 12 of 14 allotted days are typically taken. Meanwhile, a typical European employee who earns between 25 and 30 vacation days each year takes them all.

[Image via Shutterstock]