ABSTRACT
The ability to take time off from work is considered a staple for most “white collar” jobs. Paid time off or vacation time is a negotiable benefit for salaried workers. However, it is not necessarily extended to those working for minimum wages. Research has demonstrated that paid time off (PTO) is both helpful and necessary to sustain a healthy workforce. In this essay, we will explore the societal pressures at play that keep wage earners from accessing PTO and the covert oppression perpetuated by not offering wage workers ample leisure time. In the United States, where employers are not mandated to provide PTO, any time off offered by employers becomes generous. In 1910, then President Taft proposed that U.S. workers should have two to three months of vacation time per year. He viewed this extended vacation as essential to the worker’s well-being and necessary for future productivity. One hundred plus years later, PTO is still considered a luxury, not a right. We will explore the importance of PTO for the dignity of workers and advocate for PTO as a human right.
