Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Travel / Outdoors


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published August 1, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified August 1, 2007 at 4:02 PM

E-mail article     Print view

Want more vacation? Move to Colombia

Looking to get more time off? Go live in Colombia. Although known for its high murder rate, this South American nation leads the world in...

The Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia — Looking to get more time off? Go live in Colombia.

Although known for its high murder rate, this South American nation leads the world in public holidays with 18 each year.

Second-place Slovenia has 16 federal holidays a year, while Slovakia, Cyprus and Chile have 15 each, according to a new study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, which advises businesses in 42 countries. The United States has 10 federal holidays.

As overworked Americans bemoan their shrinking leisure time, a month rarely passes in Colombia without a three-day weekend.

Most of the holidays — mandatory for both public and private-sector employees — pay homage to Roman Catholic saints.

But don't ask Colombians which ones. Most are blissfully ignorant of what allows them to pack their car trunks for the beach or mountains for yet another "puente," Spanish for "bridge" and Colombian for three-day weekend.

So much loafing around takes a toll on the economy.

Every June, which can cram in as many as three "puentes" depending on the year, factory and business output ebbs even while workers continue to collect their regular pay.

"There's no doubt this crushes productivity and increases costs for business," said Juan Carlos Echeverry, an economics professor at Andes University in Bogota. "But maybe it's the reason in survey after survey Colombians are always rated among the happiest people in the world."

But Colombia is hardly a workers' paradise.

Union leaders are subject to regular intimidation or worse. More than 800 were murdered over the past six years, mainly by right-wing paramilitaries.

And while three-day weekends may be great breathers for fatigued office workers, they are no substitute for long vacations.

advertising

For that, you'll want to consider Finland or France, which according to Mercer lead the world with 30 paid vacation days a year.

In that department, Colombia doesn't rate. It has just 15.

U.S. law, by comparison does not require paid vacation days for employees.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

NEW - 11:33 AM
Get ready for Thanksgiving flight delays, thanks to New York

UPDATE - 12:30 PM
Biofuel used on Boeing 747 flight

Banff: powder, peaks & purity

Thanksgiving travel plans expected to grow slightly

Ask Travel: A free day in Prague

Advertising

Video

PNW Magazine | Easy As Pie
A little friendly competition between professional pie-baker Kate McDermott and The Seatttle Times' Kathleen Triesch Saul is handled with great taste.

Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup
Raw Video | Real Salt Lake fans celebrate
Raw Video | Real Salt Lake receives the MLS Cup trophy
Real Salt Lake fans enter Qwest Field
Raw Video | MLS Cup Opening Ceremony
LA Galaxy's David Beckham
Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman
MLS trophy arrives in Seattle
Chittenden Locks Inspection

Marketplace

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising