I read several posts similar to the above during the FIFA World Cup, showing surprise at how long European holidays are.
As a teacher, my situation is slightly different, but Sweden has 25 statutory annual leave days, with additional days added through union collective agreements (Sweden is highly unionised), so that most people have 6 weeks of annual leave. You also usually have a day off to move house, a day off when you turn 50, and extra days as you get older.
The Annual Leave Act in Sweden states entitles you to a continuous vacation of four weeks (main vacation) during the period of June to August. TYou receive your regular pay during your holiday plus an additional holiday allowance. This holiday allowance is usually 0.43% to 0.49% of your fixed salary per vacation day, or 12% for variable/hourly pay.
A consecutive four weeks of holiday is such a good thing. The first week off you generally need to ‘land’. And there are usually musts you have planned to do (washing curtains/windows, working on the house). Then the second and third week you tend to fully relax. This allows rest and recovery for body and mind. You somehow let go. I think that is why I blogged so prolifically – my mind felt free. The fourth week tends to entail work thoughts creeping back, but it is noticeable that when you go back to work that you are rested and renewed. At least for a short while.
I was aware of the 4 weeks during summer. Totally understandable given your natural light situation and (i imagine) need historically rope everyone into harvest. How do places like hospitals etc manage the refuced workforce?
There are special exceptions for certain sectors, but there are units and clinics that are closed for summer.
Here in the U.K. it’s lacking. We have 8 bank holidays but many people work them – sometimes it is double time or time + 50% though for many it’s just a work day. Annual leave is typically 20 + days depending on service years.
In my last job I was salaried 40 hours a week, but I had 6 weeks annual leave and other bank holidays & I rarely worked less than 60 hours a week. Any leave more than 2 weeks required additional notice & none around key times Christmas for example. That said there were two personal days a year and I had full sick pay for 6 months.
I just checked and Sweden has 13 statutory bank holidays, but the eves (Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve) are considered de facto holidays even though they are not bank holidays. In addition most people have bridging days off (when there is a working day between a bank holiday and a weekend) and also half days before public holidays. These are negotiated in collective agreements.
As a teacher I work longer hours during term but also have longer holidays in the summer. Generally though, Sweden has a 40-hour work week, and all women are expected to work. There is talk of reducing working hours to 37 per week to give better work-life balance. Sweden has a drastically falling fertility rate at the same time as the large birth cohorts (like the boomers) are now dying so their are various effort in place to solve the issue