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Originally Posted by Nyororin
I`m incredibly curious what makes you think Japan is any different.
Do you REALLY think that people actually USE those national holidays or those paid days off? Excuse me while I take a break to laugh...
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In my company they do because their offices are closed.
My realitives are off as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
No one I know in the US works as much as pretty much everyone I know over here.
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You must know a lot of people. I'm glad you can speak for the nation.
Japan and the US are almost at equal in hours per week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
We`re considered amazing and my husband in a cushy job because he actually usually gets to have Saturday AND Sunday off when things aren`t busy. Most companies don`t get Saturday off - or rather, they get it off but still go to work because you know, you want to keep that job.
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Funny... sounds like the US and in some cases throw in that Sunday. I had a salaried co-worker have to fight to have a couple of hours to go to church on Sunday....he was usually able to catch last mass.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
I`d say around half go in voluntarily (without pay) on Sunday too...
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Well if you are salaried you've already sold your soul to the company and there is no "overtime". So the without pay thing is mute.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
Take a national holiday off instead of coming in to work voluntarily that day? Be prepared to stay the night a couple days afterward to make up for the lost time. Saved up 40 or 50 days of paid leave days is completely normal. Save up too many and you might get an offer from your employer to get a few days with overtime pay to make it LOOK like you`ve used them so that they don`t get in trouble with the government.
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Wow this sounds extremely like the US. Except for the 40-50 savings thing. Most companies I know may let you care a week over to the next year, but you can't take the vacation all at once... maybe 10 days at a time only if you can get it scheduled.
But lets stick to averages because I think we are comparing apples to oranges. I think you just described the non-salaried US Retail industry (or walmart to be exact hahaha) . The average US Salary worker get the above just like Japan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin
Guaranteed in NO WAY means what you are thinking it does. The government SAYS you need to provide those days off - but reality says that almost no one uses them, or if they do they`ll have hell to pay afterward. Volunteer work, and "paper holidays" (overtime paid in exchange for filling out a form saying you used a sick day or holiday) do not show up on charts as days worked.
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I guess that is why travel is so pleasant on Golden week because everyone isn't off. I suppose it depends on what the job is.... I mean if stuff is closed, stuff is closed and little can be done from coming in to work. It all depends on what we are talking about... I mean transportation industry and mass retail never sleeps....
bottom line is Japan has an average of 36 days off in the year where the US has 15 max. (10 weekdays if you get 2 week vacation) and 5 national holidays (every company recognizes different US national holidays i.e. some easter some MLK day etc).
Look I'm just going with stats... working for an international company as a comparison, relatives, friends, having worked and studied there myself. There are plenty of Japanese and American reports on this. Frankly neither of which make Japan or the U.S. the happiest country on the planet. I'm saying the Japanese system continues to work hard as the U.S. does, but if you look at it... the U.S. is coming apart at the seams with no guarenteed vacation and 5-6 days of national holidays.
This isn't an exact science by any means and there will be exceptions on both side...
But something has to give...
With america being a two income family no has time to take care of things properly either... Japan hopefully isn't continuing this trend. ...but now I'm off topic.