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(KSL News) -- Another summer, another vacation season gone, and for some, it's another opportunity to take some time off work missed. Polls suggest only 43% of Americans had plans to vacation this summer, and that Americans are spending fewer days away when they do go.
On one end, this young man, just starting his career, and going to school.
"I've worked full-time and gone to school full-time for over a year now. I haven't taken a single day of vacation."
No time to break away now.
"I have too much to do."
His aspiration is for a lot of time off, later.
"I envision a day where I'm 35 and retired, so..."
On the other end is Elaine Devlin. Her husband Bill is already retired. Devlin thinks time away is essential.
"I work in the legal field and stress can be very, very high, and if you don't take your vacation, you can go absolutely crazy."
But is it really a vacation?
"Her idea of taking a vacation is going to visit the kids or the grandkids. My idea of a vacation would be going to Canada, or Mexico or something."
And when she goes?
"I have left my cell phone on, and told my boss yeah, if you got in a situation where you need help, give me a call. And I have had a few calls."
Typical, some experts say as more Americans see a down-turn in down-time. A poll by CareerBuilder.com, for example, shows 83 percent of Americans planned to take less time off this year. But there are those who think all that dedication, isn't always what's best for the company.
"The purpose behind vacation is that employees come back reinvigorated, refocused."
Monica Whelen of the Employer's council says in Utah, a company is not required to give workers vacation, but.
"You do see a significant number of Utah employers who require employees to take the time because they get it, they understand that we need downtime."
Whether we take it or not, is another issue. Expedia.com is guessing workers this year, will give back nearly 600-million days, in unused vacation time. And why? Some say it may be due to job insecurity, others say it's a feeling that there's something wrong with not working, that the job won't get done without them. One Psychologist calls it, leisure guilt.
