Woman Complains About Having To Use PTO To Attend Friends’ Weddings
PTO is precious.
PeopleImages | Shutterstock Katharine Melody pulled no punches in a hilarious TikTok describing what it's really like to use your precious PTO to attend friends' weddings in random suburbs across the country. We've all done it, though. We have all sacrificed a long weekend of our choosing to support a friend on their big day because that's what friends are for. Right?
The truth is, it’s not the best feeling to use your paid time off to go to an event in a place you really have no interest in visiting. The issue isn't so much that your bestie chose to marry in some random Hallmark Holiday movie locale, however. It's the fact that American hustle culture doesn't promote a healthy work-life balance with ample vacation time.
A woman complained about having to use PTO to attend friends' weddings.
Sure, Katharine's video was done for a laugh, but the funniest content is always based on relatable truth. There's nothing more relatable than the very limited and precious PTO days all working people cling to.
In a montage of travel imagery, Katharine's video featured text overlay that read, "What a gift it is to use my PTO to travel to so many random suburbs for friends' weddings." She even featured herself dancing with her arms open in the middle of a suburban street.
Some users shared her sarcasm. "I'm with you!" one commenter wrote, "Bonus if there's a $300+ Holiday Inn Express." Others, on the other hand, tried to see the positive side of traveling for a wedding. "Yes, it is actually a gift to have so many friends and family who value your presence at one of the biggest days of their lives," one person added.
The point, however, was not the weddings but rather the lack of a proper work-life balance that creates the disdain for using PTO for anything other than selfish reasons.
Americans get a limited amount of PTO each year.
PTO is precious. That's because we don't have enough days to account for vacations, doctor's visits, mental health days, holidays, and basically anything that equates to living with joy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average employee in the U.S. gets 11 days of PTO after a year of working. After five years, it jumps to 15.
Additionally, the average worker receives 8 holiday days off per year. This number can vary based on the industry and company policy, but generally, these days encompass major holidays like Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
But think about these numbers for a moment. Is 11 days enough to attend weddings, go on vacation, see your child's school play, and take your cat to the vet? What if you are hosting Thanksgiving and you need to take a day off to prep all the cooking and cleaning? You actually take a day off to clean your house. It's kind of depressing.
Now, what about your friends’ weddings? A Brides survey found the average person was invited to four weddings in 2022. Even if you only have to travel for two of the four weddings, that's at least 4 days of PTO down the drain. Now, you're down to just 7 days for the rest of the year.
Even with the minimal standard PTO, most Americans feel guilty for taking time off from work.
PanuShot | Shutterstock
What's even sadder than the abysmally low number of PTO days the average worker in the U.S. gets is the fact that, according to a Pew Research study, nearly half of workers don't even use all their days each year. The reason? Guilt.
American work culture has done a very good job at guilting workers into not even considering using all their vacation days. Somehow, we've all been convinced that overwork is a badge of honor, and anyone who prioritizes work-life balance doesn't take work seriously. That means they appear less dedicated. That instills fear of job loss.
The U.S. is the only advanced nation that doesn’t legally mandate a minimum number of vacation days. For most people, if you don't use those days, you don't get that money back either. Meanwhile, in much of Europe, vacation days are mandated by law, and some countries like France offer a whopping 30 days per year. That doesn't include national holidays.
Christie Hudson, head of public relations for Expedia in the United States, told CNBC, “The French overwhelmingly view time off as a basic, fundamental right, while Americans seem to treat it as a guilty pleasure. This is why not even a month seems like enough time to the average French worker.”
We seriously need a reset in the U.S. Taking a day or two off for a friend's wedding should not be as distressing as it is. Vacation in any form should not be a "guilty pleasure." We worked hard for that time, and we deserve to take every single day. In fact, we deserve much more than just 11 days a year.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
