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The Case for the Sabbatical: Why Americans Don’t Vacation Like Europeans – and What They’re Missing

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The Case for the Sabbatical: Why Americans Don’t Vacation Like Europeans – and What They’re Missing

How much paid time off do Americans and Europeans get?

In Europe, time off isn’t a luxury; it’s a right. Most workers enjoy at least 25 paid vacation days per year, plus up to 14 public holidays. Parental leave policies are also relatively generous. Come August, entire countries – France, Spain, and Italy – essentially shut down as people head off for their summer breaks.

It’s a different story in the U.S.A. The average American worker gets just 10–14* days of Paid Time Off (PTO) annually, if they’re lucky enough to have any at all. Unlike in Europe, there’s no legal requirement for PTO, leaving over 28 million* Americans with none. Even those with paid leave often find themselves answering emails or jumping on work calls.

Two-thirds of Americans don’t use all their PTO days, taking an average of just 10 a year. And this trend isn’t improving: the number of vacation days actually taken has been declining over the last decade. Even in the 15%* of U.S. companies that offer unlimited PTO, employees often take less time off than those with fixed allowances.

How do sabbaticals work in the UK?

Beyond the standard holiday allowance, many top UK professionals take sabbaticals – extended breaks from work lasting anywhere from a few months to a year. Originally the domain of academics needing time to conduct research, sabbaticals made their way into the corporate world in the 1970s – pioneered, ironically, by an American company: McDonald’s.

Today, UK law, tech and finance firms routinely offer sabbaticals to the most senior employees, and the practice has expanded across industries. According to surveys, 53%* of UK employers offer sabbaticals (compared to just 13%* in the U.S.), with increasingly generous terms. Largely prompted by the ‘Great Reset’ of the Covid years, the expectation of workplace flexibility has galvanised the rise of the sabbatical. Many companies now extend the benefit to a wider range of employees, with some even providing partial or full pay. Among senior professionals, sabbaticals have become an expectation rather than a perk.

Why do Americans take so little time off work?

Corporate culture plays a major role in Americans taking so little time off work. In the U.S., the emphasis on service, responsiveness, and professional success means stepping away can feel like falling behind. With workplace competition fierce, taking time off can be perceived as a lack of commitment.

This mindset starts early. While many European students take a year off between high school and university – around a third of UK students do – gap years are far less common in the US. And it’s not to earn money for university: the primary motivation for UK students is to gain independence and have a break from education*. Over half of gap year takers use the time to travel*. In the U.S.A., the high cost of college, along with a cultural focus on progressing straight from one stage to the next, makes time out less appealing.

Later in life, extended career breaks remain rare. Many Americans rely on employer-provided health insurance, making job security even more essential. The idea of leaving a role for months at a time, whether for travel, personal development, or simply a reset, feels out of reach.

Breaking this cycle is difficult. Harvard University senior lecturer DJ DiDonna, founder of The Sabbatical Project, argues that visibility is key. “You need to see people like you who’ve done this and thrived,” he says. If no one in your circle has taken extended time off, it’s unlikely to even seem like an option.

Despite proof of the benefits of offering a sabbatical, American firms find it hard not to consider taking time off as a dereliction of duty. As a partner in a British law firm put it to me, “An American firm was looking to merge with us. They baulked when they saw our sabbatical policy: 3 months off for every 3 years’ worked, at 70% pay. However, if you consider our staff turnover – which has gone from 60% to 15% – it’s paid for itself multiple times over.”

How to deal with burnout?

Burnout is a growing issue, particularly in the U.S., and sabbaticals are one way to counter it. According to DiDonna, “Most folks really need a minimum of 6–8 weeks to detox.” Burnout recovery looks different for everyone. “For some, it’s a yoga retreat or ballet; for others, it’s reconnecting with family in a cocoon of comfort.”

Some dive into exploration, revisiting hobbies or trying out new identities: “I like to think of it as archaeology – rediscovering passions like rock climbing or trying something entirely new.” But DiDonna cautions against leaping straight into high-energy activities. “You need to reset to zero before diving into something else intense.”

Is taking a sabbatical detrimental to your career?

There are a number of sabbatical success stories in the American corporate world. The common thread is the company itself promoting sabbatical policies and supporting employees.

“Bank of America rolled out a paid sabbatical programme in 2023 for people who had been with the company for at least 15 years,” writes Pilita Clark of the Financial Times. “More than 20,000 people have now taken up the deal.” Outside of banking, Clark lists PayPal, Deloitte and Adobe as also offering generous sabbatical schemes.

Business leaders can lead by example: “At HSBC,” recounts Clark, “people who have spent five years at the bank can ask for a sabbatical [of] between three and six months. … Georges Elhedery, the bank’s new chief executive, took a six-month sabbatical in 2022 when he was running the group’s global trading arm. He returned to be made chief financial officer and then got the top job in September last year.”

When a company creates a supportive environment and actively encourages sabbaticals, the stigma lifts and employees seize the opportunity.

What to do on a sabbatical?

In the UK and Europe, sabbaticals are usually seen as an opportunity for travel rather than a means of avoiding burnout. When someone announces they’re taking a sabbatical, the immediate response is: “Where are you going?”

DiDonna emphasizes the value of physical separation from daily routines. “Ideally, a proper sabbatical also includes geographic disconnection: physically getting away — out of town or out of the country — for as long as is feasible. Distance makes it easier to break from old routines”.

Many British sabbatical-takers use the time to reconnect with family. Parents may take two to three months over the school summer break to explore the world with their children, whether island-hopping in Indonesia, traveling through Central America or exploring the coasts, jungles and mountains of South America. Others take a full year off, schooling online along the way, taking a tutor or letting the world provide an education in life.

Couples and solo travelers make the most of their time off to what they’d always dreamed of but never had the time for. This could be trekking to the source of the Amazon in Peru, taking a train across India, or hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti.

When to take a sabbatical?

The ‘right time’ for some is during gardening leave in between jobs, or when they’ve sold a business, or when they reach the tenure and seniority that allows the best sabbatical perks. Otherwise, the ‘right time’ is up to a year away from your wanderlust kicking in.

Having 8-12 months to plan – to decide what you want to get out of your time off, arrange personal finances and logistics, brief colleagues and structure a return-to-work plan – will ensure the best experience for all. With the right planning a sabbatical can be a life-changing experience. Not something to be saved for retirement or taken as a last resort after burnout.

Taking extended time off can feel daunting. With projects to finish and client relationships to maintain, time off can seem out of reach. But in the grand scheme of a 45-year career, a few months really is nothing. The chance to do something completely different, immerse yourself in another way of life, and forge new connections far outweighs the temporary inconvenience of an out-of-office email.

In the U.S., employers encouraging staff to take all their PTO without fear of judgment would be a step in the right direction. Offering sabbaticals is the next frontier. Their European counterparts would be happy to show them the benefits.

See our blog series on Sabbaticals for Lawyers:

*Sabbatical Statistics Sources:

Figures for American PTO from Sorbet PTO Report 2024
53% of UK employers offer sabbaticals – from Chartered Institute of Marketing
13% of companies in the U.S. offer sabbaticals – Society for Human Resource Management
~1/3 of UK students take a gap year – estimated based on UCAS university starter figures 2023 and estimated number of gap year takers 2023 from Teaching Abroad Direct.
More than half of UK gap year takers travel: figure 7, UK Government Department for Education report, ‘Gap year takers: uptake, trends and long term outcomes’, Nov 2012.
Motivation for UK gap year takers: figure 4, UK Government Department for Education report, ‘Gap year takers: uptake, trends and long term outcomes’, Nov 2012.

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