[qwertfisch]

Quite sad to read this. In Germany paid days off are mandatory by law (four weeks per year). Most branches give additional paid days, up to two more weeks. You are required to take the statutory four weeks, usually until end of March the following year. Some employers have less restrictive rules so that you can save vacation days for up to two or three years.

Even for minimally paid jobs and/or short term jobs the same laws apply, and the vacation days will be accumulated.

[_DeadFred_]

In the US companies are not required to give unpaid vacation. Many working class people do not get any time off (unless it's unplanned 'downtime' or 'slack time' when the company basically soft lays people off during times of low need) in the US.

[qwertfisch]

"unpaid vacation"? I was discussing about paid vacation, did you mean the same?

(Unpaid vacation should be a lesser problem, depending if a company will get by without your workforce for a time.)

If paid vacation really is not required in the US, how the hell do you get any vacation and recreation time? This is unhealthy and results in a lot of physical, mental and social degression.