Definition of Vacation

We just had three days off due to the Memorial Day weekend. I logged in yesterday to send out a couple of emails so that the recipients could get them first thing today as I was taking into consideration the 3-hour time difference between the East and West coast. Since we have the instant messaging feature, I noticed that my boss was also working. He is based in New York while I work in San Diego. He had just returned from a 3-week vacation from Hongkong but I did not really notice his absence since he always responded to emails.

I looked up the definition of the word "vacation" on the web. It is leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure. It is an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities. It is a general leave of absence from a regular occupation for rest or recreation. It is a specific trip or journey for the purposes of recreation or tourism.

I looked it up and was surprised to see that US law does not require employers to grant any vacation or holidays. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations. For employees that do receive them, 10 working days with 8 national holidays is fairly standard. I had taken it as a given, so I guess I have been lucky that all of the companies I have worked for have given paid vacation leave. To think that I always used to gripe that it was unfair, since when my husband was on active duty, he earned 30 vacation days a year, not including national holidays.

Yesterday, a Florida Congressman proposed the Paid Vacation Act of 2009 which would federally mandate that businesses with at least 100 employees, and later businesses with at least 50, offer paid vacation each year to full- and part-time employees. He sees better work life balance bringing improved productivity through more healthy employees. Studies have proven that this statement is true.

I myself am guilty of taking my laptop with me on vacation to the Philippines. I worry when I go to a beach resort that has no internet connectivity. I have no illusions that I am indispensable, I am sure the company would go on without me. Not as efficiently, but life goes on :-) It is the thought of going back to hundreds of emails that prevents me from enjoying my vacation. I would rather log in regularly to clean out my emails and respond to questions and issues. I do draw the line at owning a Blackberry. Now if only someone would introduce a law mandating people to actually take those vacation days.