When someone moves from the US to Spain and starts a job here, one of the things he/she is generally grateful for is this: Holidays. That is a general statement, but how different is the Holidays in Spain vs Holidays in the US?
It is a complex topic (and even more complex if you compare it to a different country), specially because the holiday periods in the US depend on the company you work for and on each state’s laws. But for you to get a general view, here is an article that summarizes some of the most important differences (from our experience, and taking into account that each state has its own rules).
Holidays in the US vs. Holidays in Spain: Paid Time Off
Holidays in the US: A benefit, not a right
Here is one of the main big differences: the United States considers the paid time off a benefit instead of a right (as it happens in Spain, for instance). The Fair Labor Standard Act of 1938 was created to establish a right to a minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping and youth employment standards. But it doesn’t say anything about the “paid time off”.
It depends on the company and the worker’s seniority
So understanding that paid time off is a benefit, here is the direct consequence: in the US the companies are not obliged to offer paid time off. But the reality is that they usually do, offering this paid period as a “benefit”. The duration will depend directly on the company’s system, as well as the (full time) worker’s seniority.
How many average days per year?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most of the employees in the United States usually have between 5-10 days of paid time off per year. But as we pointed out, it will depend directly on the company and also on the worker’s seniority (more years in the company, more days of paid time off). In general, most of the companies offer two weeks of paid time off (10 days) to full time workers.
National holidays in the US (Paid Holidays)
Even though there are more National Holidays, these are specifically the Holidays which are actually paid in the United States:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- July 4: Independence Day
- First Monday of September: Labor Day
- 4th Thursday of November: Thanksgiving
- 4th Friday of November: Black Friday
- December 25: Christmas Day
Now let’s compare it all with the paid time off in Spain…
Holidays in Spain
The average paid time off in Spain is 30 calendar days (or 22 business days), without including National and regional Holidays. In this case, the seniority level is not relevant: when a worker completes 1 year working full time, he/she has 22 business days of paid time off.
(Michael Scott is thrilled).
National Holidays in Spain (Paid Holidays)
What about the National Holidays in Spain? These are in general the days that are paid time off in Spain (which apply to the whole country):
- January 1: Año Nuevo
- January 6: Día de Reyes
- April 2: Viernes Santo
- May 1: Día del Trabajador
- August 15: Asunción de la Virgen María
- October 12: Hispanidad
- December 6: Día de la Constitución
- December 8: Día de la Inmaculada Concepción
- December 25: Christmas
But here is something important to take into account as well… Besides the National Holidays, each region (called Comunidad Autónoma) has its own Holidays (which are paid time off as well). For instance, these are the regional holidays in Catalonia:
- June 24: Sant Joan
- October 1: Día de Tots Sants
- September 11: Diada Nacional de Catalunya
- December 26: Sant Esteve
And here is more: there are also city Holidays (and guess what: they are also paid time off). For instance, in Barcelona we have these special Holidays:
- September 26: La Mercè (the day might vary depending on the year).
- May 23: 2a Pasqua (the day might vary depending on the year).
Special Holidays (Paid Holidays)
Besides the National Holidays during periods like Easter or Christmas, some companies offer the whole week of Holidays (paid Holidays). In this case, it is the company deciding these extra periods of Holidays offered to the employees, based on the company’s philosophy and organization.
So after analyzing each country when it comes to the paid time off offered by each of them, the general conclusion is pretty clear: Spain has, in general, more paid time off when compared to the United States (but always check it with the company first).
And if you are thinking about moving to Spain (or already got a job and are now packing), you might want to read this article first before landing in the office: The Office, working in Spain vs working in the US
