[bargnonions]

Originally Posted by Alby

wow seems like people have "20 or more" annual days per year on top of all plus all the HK public holidays ... geez that is a ton of days off.

I am sure all these holidays are well deserved.

So what professions give more than 20 days or more?

Business owner, Teacher, etc.....

Think because this is an expat board, more foreigners in foreign companies (usually finance). But 20+ days is a lot.

What is the HK law minimum? 7 days? 7 is rough, I think most HK companies give 10-14 days.

Originally Posted by PDLM

Pretty much any European owned multinational will do so.

In the European Union it will soon be a legal requirement to give a minimum of 25 days. I have colleagues in the UK who have over 30 days per year.

There are a lot of holidays because Hong Kong follows both western and Chinese calendars.

[hullexile]

20 days is a lot, or 10-14 is very little, all depends on your expectations and the norm of your country. I get 38, though struggle to find time to take them. Currently have 25 to take before end of August but no way I can fit them in so will lose at least 10 of them.

[PDLM]

The Hong Kong legal minimum starts at 7 days but increases with length of service to 14 days at nine years or above. ( http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/...seGuide/04.pdf )

The only holidays which must be given by law are one day per week, and the 12 Statutory Holidays. Many employers (particularly in companies of the sort that employ expats) work 5 day weeks and give the General Holidays (15-17 extra days, depending on which fall on a Saturday). European countries have somewhere between 9 (UK) and 17 (Germany) public holidays.

20+ days is really not a lot for those from a European background. Germans with 10+ years service might expect 50+ working days off per year including public holidays (but excluding weekends, so 150+ in total).

I had never had less than 25 days before I came to HKG, had 25 in my first company here (European), but then only managed to negotiate 20 when I moved to my second (American). Both are in telecoms, not finance.

[pin]

i work for a western company and get 20 days, with 2 "personal" days a year. the 2 personal days are only after a full year's service though, and can't be taken in conjunction with annual leave or a public holiday.

[Alby]

Originally Posted by PDLM

I had never had less than 25 days before I came to HKG, had 25 in my first company here (European), but then only managed to negotiate 20 when I moved to my second (American). Both are in telecoms, not finance.

Ahh the seeming GREAT AMERICAN WAY... what is it all about? As it seems several American companies don't appreciate a good work-life balance ratio in terms of annual leave for its employees. Unlike, their Australian and European counterparts.

Enlightenment please.

[shilo507]

What your employer gives you officially and the number of days you can actually take are not necessarily the same.

I have taken only 5 days' annual leave in two years due to pressure of work (not including public holidays) and always seem to be overseas on business trips at Chinese New Year in Europe or Easter in the Middle East. I can never seem to get the time back. However, I do a lot of overseas trips so get to see a lot of the world albeit from the back of a taxi.

I was self-employed in the UK for many years before coming to HK so am used to lack of holidays.

Here in HK I work 5 1/2 days a week and treasure my Sundays. Seems a relative luxury after self-employment. There is more than a grain of truth in the 'work hard, play hard' ethic in HK.

However, I am not complaining and love HK to much to ever turn back. The only downside is travelling overseas on a Sunday or a public holiday (often happens) as these days are a write-off never to be reclaimed.

[jgl]

Originally Posted by Alby

Ahh the seeming GREAT AMERICAN WAY... what is it all about? As it seems several American companies don't appreciate a good work-life balance ratio in terms of annual leave for its employees. Unlike, their Australian and European counterparts.

Enlightenment please.

Hmm? I thought it was common knowledge that American work culture didn't have time for such limp-wristed notions as 'work life balance'. 10 days seems to be the starting norm within the US, with a small handful of discretionary sick days thrown in.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by Alby

Ahh the seeming GREAT AMERICAN WAY... what is it all about? As it seems several American companies don't appreciate a good work-life balance ratio in terms of annual leave for its employees. Unlike, their Australian and European counterparts.

Enlightenment please.

Even when American companies give you a bunch of annual leave days, they don't expect you to actually use them.
But I think this is changing. In both good and bad ways. "Yes you can take the week off, don't forget to check your blackberry every five minutes."

[pin]

Originally Posted by Sleuth

Even when American companies give you a bunch of annual leave days, they don't expect you to actually use them.
But I think this is changing. In both good and bad ways. "Yes you can take the week off, don't forget to check your blackberry every five minutes."

heh, when my boss goes on holiday his line re blackberry is, oh woops my battery ran out of juice and i forgot to pack my charger.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by pin

heh, when my boss goes on holiday his line re blackberry is, oh woops my battery ran out of juice and i forgot to pack my charger.

Might get away with that once, but it would be iffy.