What's the average amount of paid time off?

Paid time off policies that employees perceive to be "good" can help create a positive work-life balance and prevent burnout, allowing employees to disconnect. Of course, not all policies are created equal. 

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the average number of sick and vacation days employees receive, based on length of service across private industry and government sectors. 

In private industry workplaces, sick leave does not change based on length of service, with employees receiving an average of seven days after one year and receiving the same amount of time throughout their service. Vacation time does increase with time, however, with employees receiving an average of 11 vacation days after one year of service, 15 days after five years, 18 days after 10 years and 20 days after 20 years. 

Read more: Want to prevent burnout? Invest in AI benefits and more robust PTO 

In state and local government offices, sick leave also generally stays the same with time served, with these employees receiving more sick days than employees working in private industries. Government employees receive an average of 11 sick days after one year of service, and then an average of 12 sick days in the following years. 

Government employees also receive more vacation time than employees in the private sector. After one year of service, government employees receive an average of 13 vacation days. That number jumps to 16 days after five years, 19 days after 10 years and 22 days after 20 years.

Read more about the average amount of paid time off employees receive based on industry and length of service.

Average paid time off amounts across sectors and length of service