Wanna get away? No.
Nearly half of American workers didn't use all of their allotted vacation days last year, according to a recent survey conducted by Kelton Research and commissioned by the Radisson hotel chain. Heavy workloads and the struggle to pay for travel were some of the primary reasons workers decided not to take more time off, the survey found.
The costs of an expensive vacation might now be too burdensome for many Americans. Wages haven't been keeping up with inflation and median household income has declined in the recent past. And still facing a weak employment market, Americans might also be prioritizing job security by forgoing vacation.
The recent survey results echo previous findings. The average employee in America left two unused vacation days last year, according to a survey from December. Taking into account that year's mean salary of $39,416, the unused vacation time amounted to a total of $34.3 billion worth of time, CNNMoney calculated.
Another recent poll by Hotwire.com reported an even larger number of abandoned vacation days for last year -- more than a week's worth -- with older Americans taking disproportionately fewer days off.
Those wasted vacation days end up benefitting employers, who have gotten more bang for their buck. An August study by Sageworks indicated the company profits made on each employee rose 22 percent from 2010 to 2011.