In a report that was dated June 28, 2003, ABC news correspondent Catherine Valenti reported that America has less vacation time than other industrialized nations do and that Americans usually do not take all of their vacation time. The report goes on to state that “U.S. workers aren’t guaranteed any vacation time by law and take an average of 10.2 vacation days a year after three years on the job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In contrast, workers in the United Kingdom are guaranteed 20 paid vacation days by law and take an average of 25 days off a year. Even in notoriously hard-working Japan, workers have a legal right to 10 days off and take an average of almost 18 vacation days a year.”