I think the funniest part of discussions like this on HN is all the Americans who are somehow... proud? for not taking any paid time off, and then the ones that are weirdly grateful for getting a pittance of time off from their employer?

Listen, PTO is money is salary.

Not taking PTO is leaving money on the table, it's the same as being proud that you're not receiving your full salary for your work, or being grateful that your company actually paid the agreed-upon salary this month.

But some people don't make that connection, because they're conditioned by shitty labour rules in the US.

Same in Australia and New Zealand. The US is the odd duck here, both legally and culturally.