6 people from around the world share what it's like to have nationally mandated work vacation

Instead, it's up to employers to give their workers vacation days.

The result has been that many people hardly take any time at all, either because they are committed to their job or they fear coming across as lazy.

To see what the US might be missing out on, Business Insider spoke with a handful of people who live in countries where the government guarantees time off. Here's what they said.

Sweden: 6 weeks off per year

How much time do you take?

How do you generally spend the time?

How does it feel knowing the time is guaranteed?

It makes me feel energized to be able to re-charge. It clearly makes my work-life balance better and my performance stronger.

Knowing it’s guaranteed also opens up the possibility for a bargain on flight tickets and hotel bookings – as I can do those long in advance.

— Samuel Skwarski, PR/Creative, Volontaire

Denmark: 5 weeks off per year

How much time do you take?

Five weeks.

How do you generally spend the time?

When on vacation, I try not to stay too connected to work though it's commonplace to "check in." I love going abroad and I often attempt to scatter my vacations days across the year to have several, but shorter vacations; for example, going on an extended weekend abroad.

How does it feel knowing the time is guaranteed?

When going from being a student to entering the job market in a full-time position, five weeks mandatory vacation – as it is in Denmark – surprisingly feels like not a lot. It's a trivial problem in an international context given that five weeks are still more than what is normal in most other countries.

— Daniel Borup Jakobsen, VP Marketing, Plecto

France: 6 weeks off per year

How much time do you take?

We earn 2.5 days per worked month, for a total of 30 days or six weeks for a full year of work with the same employer.

How do you generally spend the time?

How does it feel knowing the time is guaranteed?

United Kingdom: 5.6 weeks (28 days) off per year

How much time do you take?

I

How do you generally spend the time?

How does it feel knowing the time is guaranteed?

Great! I really look forward to all of my holidays.

— Rosie Fitzmaurice, Lifestyle Fellow, Business Insider UK

Australia: 4 weeks off per year

How much time do you take?

If you work somewhere for 10 years you accumulate, which means that when you leave you can possibly receive a payout of 40 weeks upon leaving a job at your final wage rate. It means the four holiday weeks you got at the age of 20 are paid as a 30-year-old.

It means you have two employee types. Those that like to accrue for a rainy day and those that take as many as they can.

How do you generally spend the time?

How does it feel knowing the time is guaranteed?

I don't mind this system. If I was running a business I would probably choose this system here.

— David Boldeman, Account Director, Business Insider Australia

Netherlands: four times the number of hours worked per week

How much time do you take?

The minimum of paid leave in the Netherlands is four times the number of hours worked in a week, for one year of work. So if you work 40 hours a week during a whole year, you get 160 hours of paid vacation, which means 20 days (4 weeks).

In collective agreements between employers and organizations of workers usually a minimum of 25 days is agreed.

How do you generally spend the time?

How does it feel knowing the time is guaranteed?

The minimum of 20 days paid vacation a year for full time employees is a good thing, I find, as it allows employees enough time off to really step back from work for a few weeks. Often this also helps to get new energy and creativity when you return to the office.

— Jeroen de Boer, Managing Editor, Business Insider Netherlands

6 people from around the world share what it's like to have nationally mandated work vacation

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