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When asked how the recession has changed their 2009 vacation plans, 61 percent of Yahoo! HotJobs visitors said that they are not taking a vacation at all. Another 7 percent said they are taking less vacation time this year. In a CareerBuilder survey, 35 percent said they have not taken a vacation this year and do not plan to take a vacation; most of them (71 percent) said they could not afford a vacation. The hesitancy to make summer plans comes in a year when many companies are cutting back on paid vacation benefits, or forcing employees to take accrued vacation time this year so they can save in future years.
So even though 1 in 5 employees say they are worried they will lose their jobs or feel guilty being away from the office (CareerBuilder), the experts and any sane person will attest that it is important to take time away from the office, whether you are venturing far from home or not. So take a staycation, or just putter around the house or your hometown, but if you have a job and some vacation time due you in 2009, take it.
Are you planning to take a vacation this year? Or will you stay close to home or--egads--spend it working in the office?
