Washington Group’s Summit to Focus on Securing Vacation Rights

A grass-roots organization that seeks legislation mandating paid vacations for salaried employees plans to fire up the discussion this summer.

The Washington state-based organization, called Take Back Your Time, has set a National Vacation Matters Summit for Aug. 10 to 12 in Seattle. The group’s goal is to promote a healthier balance between work and life for Americans.

Take Back Your Time has advocated for either legislation or a ballot initiative in Washington state to require employers to provide a minimum paid vacation plus a prorated number of days provided for part-time workers.

There has been some interest in a new law, said John de Graaf, the organization’s executive director, but with the economy in severe recession, “we lack traction. ... There is a sense this is a luxury.”

In the meantime, the group is turning to consciousness-raising activities, including calling on travel industry leaders as well as staging the summit.

De Graaf’s group plans a number of other topics, including the impact of vacations on workplace stress and health and why Americans are prone to giving up so much of their vacation time.

He said he hoped the summer summit, open to interested parties, would help his and other like-minded organizations gather the data and determine how to make sure more Americans gain a minimum vacation entitlement.