As a European every time I read articles like this and the comments that go with it it makes me happy that I never moved to the states. In my last job I had a basic of 25 days PTO + public holidays + whatever days I carried over from the previous year. If I had to work a public holiday I'd get two days PTO in lieu. Reached the point that my allowance for my last two years before I left was 35 days per annum. I'm contracting for the last three years and just take the days(unpaid) I want , I just can't imaging living under the American system.