Originally Posted by RichMSN
I use every single one of my vacation days and am proud to do so.
Quite right - in fact, I just can't understand the position of anyone who would disagree. Part of the compensation for being employed somewhere is paid vacation days. I'm no more going to accept not being able to take my full entitlement than I am going to accept a paycheck with only 85% of my salary on it!
US employees have a really poor deal (overall) in paid vacation in comparison with other developed countries. An earlier poster sneered at France for its shorter working week and greater number of statutory vacation days but I believe this scorn is misplaced. We work to live - what's the point in working so much that you only get to control your own time on a handful of weekdays every year?