More than half of American workers left vacation time unused last year.
This adds up to 658 million unused vacation days. It is the highest number a group called Project: Time Off has ever reported, far exceeding the previous record. Americans are working more and playing less according to the report.
Wisconsin's Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett says there are implications for the economy from workers who don't take off enough time....
"....people work hard but our time here is short. Take that vacation, you'll never regret it. You'll create lasting memories with family and friends. Your creativity will soar... you're going to learn something on vacation whether you want to or not. Whether it's about a body of water or an historical, and it gives you a break from that 'fight or flight'(mentality). We're always on the go, we're always worried about things, family, community, jobs. Give yourself that break...."
Project Time Off reports most employers offer paid vacation plans. For decades, Americans took advantage of the time off they worked so hard to earn. But with the introduction of technology into the workplace, America’s vacation usage fell below the long-term average in 2000, setting off a steady decline that has continued ever since.
Employees forfeited 222 million vacation days in 2015. These days could not be rolled over, and were not be paid out, they were simply lost. These days add up to $61.4 billion in forfeited benefits across the workforce. We have links to Project Time Off and the Department of Tourism.
