Are burned-out employees needing a break? Some need a nudge to take time off

Paid time off (PTO) is a perk most people seek from an employer. But even when they get it, they don’t always use it. Reports abound showing that U.S. workers take less time away from work than those in other advanced-economy nations. So why are U.S. workers often reluctant to take time off? Is it hustle culture taken to an extreme or something else?

Types of time off

Unlike the United States, many countries make PTO a legal requirement, with some laws ensuring employees get 20 or more days off a year. But to be competitive and to guard against employee burnout, many U.S. employers adopt policies allowing employees to take time off with pay.

The type of leave offered comes in several forms. Some employees accrue time off based on hours worked. Others receive a set number of days off each year.

In some cases, accrued time can be carried over each year up to a maximum number of days. Other times, employers have a “use-it-or-lose-it” policy in which time not taken is lost.

Still other employers adopt unlimited PTO policies in which the employer doesn’t prescribe a certain number of days but does require employees to work out arrangements with their manager.

In October 2025, work-from-home job website FlexJobs reported the results of a survey of 3,063 U.S. workers showing that 82% have some form of PTO. The survey found 42% of workers accrue time off, 17% get a fixed number of days off, 12% follow a use-it-or-lose-it policy, 11% have unlimited time off, and 18% have no PTO.