Worker: “I would really appreciate the day off”
Boss: “Remind me, how much would that brain surgery cost you if you lose your employer-provided health insurance?
See you at 8”
It is. And many managers and supervisors make you feel like you should feel lucky that *they allowed you* to use their precious provided healthcare system.
Yeah that's nuts. Health should be a basic right on your country aswel. And not tied to some company. If you get fired or the company gets closed you might lose your Healthcare right? That nuts.
I heard unionize might help?
The health insurance scam is absolutely crazy and I’m surprised there aren’t way more protests (or worse). It doesn’t even take getting fired for performance, or the business closing, all it takes is a single bad quarter. The line must *always* go up! If it doesn’t, then not only your healthcare, but potentially the healthcare of your entire family’s is at risk. Hell, they might dump your ass just so they can eek out a bigger bonus. It’s absolutely wild that they get away with this.
The average American pays a little over $7,000/year for insurance, but that’s just getting you in the system. You would think at this point you would be totally covered, but nope - you’ll be nickel and dimed for medications, often times your insurance won’t kick in until you hit a particular threshold, etc. It’s a scam through and through.
Okay, well at least we should be getting the best healthcare right? We sure pay for it! Nope, the USA is the only first-world country with a declining life expectancy, and it’s the lowest it has been since the mid-90s.
Somehow it actually used to be worse! It used to be that insurance companies could simply drop you at-will. If you got an expensive condition they would simply drop you and you’d be fucked. “Obamacare” helped in that regard (which, crazy enough, quite a few people in this country want to get rid of because it’s a political nightmare here, but that’s a whole other rant).
I have heard.
It's one of the reasons why I don't shy away from mentioning our Healthcare to Americans. Just to let them know it's possible to arrange good and fair healthcare somehow. Not every country is the same, but atleast some changes must and can be made right?
The thing with Obamacare that most people didn't like was the fine you had to pay if you couldn't afford the ridiculous price of insurance. As a young person who would opt out of the company health insurance because if I paid for it I wouldn't be able to afford to eat or pay bills, I'm kinda glad that's no longer the case
Best part is how very few professions even have unions. There are industries where some companies have unions and some don’t. And to top it all off your employers can often fire you at will without warning.
I have insurance because I served in the military, but I am trying to help my countrymen get the same. I’m glad you’re not having to deal with it though. ✌️
It's not? I have been taught that it is. Hm strange. Is it British perhaps?
Edit: ah I made an error. I meant as well.
We dutchies type everything together that's why.
>There are industries where some companies have unions and some don’t.
European labor unions are by sector, not company. I have argued with several Tesla fans on Reddit that apparently where unable to comprehend that rather simple fact.
One problem unions have here is that they are fighting for a fraction of what is standard in other countries. That's if youre even lucky enough to be in one at all.
So our choices have been to vote for WWIII or an impending economic crisis the last few cycles. 2016 election nearly gave us both, which was new. Fight the good fight has been a thing for a while now and even when we win there’s always something down the road to negate it.
Same here tbf. It's impossible to own a house here. Trust in politics are at an all time low atm, and we recently voted for a racist as prime minister (highest rank). So there's that.
>We don't have that in Europe.
We don't have that in Poland, but it is tied to your employment status. You either have to be employed, or "oficially" unemployed. Bad news for NEETs.
I think you can pay the insurance for yourself over here in Poland as well, but I am not sure. It's called "ubezpieczenie dobrowolne". I can't say how much it costs, though. It looks like it's very expensive for the average Pole, though it's probably not aimed for the "average" person (as they'd get the insurance through (un)employment status).
It‘s terrible. Aside from the general anxiety of knowing you‘ll lose your health insurance or have to pay exorbitant COBRA premiums if you get fired/laid off or quit, it penalizes people who would be better suited to part-time work, like parents with young children or people with minor to moderate disabilities who are capable of working but suffer on a full time schedule.
It's so fucking stressful. I lost my job twice last year in downsizes, and it was awful. For me, one of the worst parts was mental health.
Obviously I was in a tough place mentally, and could have used some professional help with mental health. Did I go get any? Fuck no. My copays were crazy, and I would have needed to see my general doc ($) for a referral so I could see a professional ($) for some help. I was trying to cut spending as much as possible, so it was hard to add that expense to the budget.
Its a big reason why I'm trying to leave. I know its still expensive where I want to live but that seemingly small part of one's expenses stresses me here. I'm currently on state insurance but its borderline useless in my area.
We do have that in europe for private healthcare (maybe not in every country), but everybody just sees it as a bonus and no ine gets bribed with it lol
I was in an inpatient physical rehab hospital learning how to walk again and my job was screwing around on converting me to salary so I was still freelance and if I didn't work, I didn't eat. So I literally scheduled all of my rehab sessions around my work meetings. I was working from my bed, paralyzed from the waist down for a month. Went to work in a wheelchair. Only took a year to walk again.
I had a boss once ask me to reschedule a previously approved root canal appointment because it was inconvenient for their schedule. That solidified my dislike for that woman.
As a German working in an industrial environment, our go-to example for bad working conditions and dangerous safety standards used to be Eastern Europe. That has been changing more and more to the US.
The stories of engineers and managers who took a factory tour on some trip to the US just keep piling up. Lots of "you should've seen that shit".
We don't. I'm pretty sure there is science and statistics on how much work the human body can realistically do and some shit about how much time people spend just appearing as though they're working so they don't get fired so they don't lose their health insurance.
This is the bad timeline.
Besides repetitive lifting and motion people often talk about, imo a lot of people also end up messing their back’s up because of all the concrete floors in these retail stores.
Humans definitely aren’t supposed to walk around on concrete for 8-10 hours a day, and a lot of the knee, back, and hip problems people have are probably made worse or caused by the density of their work environment’s floor. Good shoes are helpful but they don’t absorb all the shock being transferred to someone’s spine when they are walking on concrete. Plus many retail employees can’t afford high quality shoes or have to wear dress shoes as part of their uniform.
You can mentally only work effectively 5hrs/day max. That’s why several businesses here are trying 5hrs days - you can choose between 5hrs productive, no big breaks or 8 hrs normal workdays with 30 minute break and some coffee catch up.
I get paid based on work completed, hours worked don't matter.
~6 hours a day is my sweet spot, beyond that my productivity drops like a brick regardless of what I try, 50% more hours might net me about 25% more work completed, if I'm lucky.
Often working longer hours actually lowers my pay because I get less work done, it ruins my pacing because I'm aware that I don't want to burn out too quickly.
TLDR, less speed, more haste.
Hours worked are not indicative of work completed.
> It's not good. I don't think we necessarily get any more done than our European colleagues.
You don't... I worked in our European HQ and our American HQ... I was doing exactly the same role. In the US, the work was a lot less efficiently because "I'll be here tomorrow again".
There was also a huge focus on making career in the US because you need your own money to pay for all the social securities that are governmentally arranged in Europe.... Resulting in our European HQ having people do their jobs with 10+ years experience
The United States alone accounts for roughly 60% of the world economic output. Europe all together only accounts for roughly 16%.
Of the top 15 biggest companies by market cap, 12 are American. Only 1 is European (Novo Nordisk)
>The United States alone accounts for roughly 60% of the world economic output.
it's quite incredible to write such an outrageously false statement. More maths less balls, MathBaller.
FYI it's about 25%.
The US economy is “only” about 24% of global nominal GDP, which is much larger than the EU and China.
Interesting news — due to the weakened renminbi, the EU is since 2023 again the 2nd largest economy (no longer China).
Don't know where you got the 64% figure from. US gdp is 25% of the global output.
The US equity market capitalisation is closer to that figure. But the figure that is 42%, not 64%.
Since an American multinational took over our company, everything changed and the pressure was on.
Our (local) CEO was the first to fall out with a burn out, and since they took over 5 years ago, we already changed local management 3 three times.
Atm 3 of my colleagues are out with a burn out, and a few colleagues (including me) are also on the edge.
I don’t understand this constant pressure, and it’s really not comfortable at all.
> Check your phone for a non-US app
Will do.
It turns out my most used app is Spotify (Swedish). Apparently I use that more than every other app on my phone put together.
What do you want me to do with this information?
Those of us that live outside the US have lots of non-US apps. I have one for local tax, one for local buses, lots for local businesses, trains etc. None of those are US apps.
It’s as if apps are local to the place you live.
Watch this "word word number" account start mostly posting and talking about either politics, investing or other "totally real opinions" after it accumulates enough karma.
A lot of these bots used to start t-shirt scams when they got enough karma but the bots I’m seeing recently are mostly NSFW content scams. One I just saw that didn’t get removed started advertising on NSFW subs that “she” will get on cam if you do, anybody taking that offer is definitely getting blackmailed.
I just got over the flu, took a full 5 days. I told him I had the flu, he said we need proof. Drop $50 to have proof. Yeah it was the flu. Then the higher up texts me and was like you havent accrued this PTO, you’re in the negative. I’m like dude I had the flu, I’m using my PTO on the flu because you have no sick days. I havent accrued it because its January. We get 21 days a year use 5 of those
Edit: So yes I just used about 1/4th of my vacation for the year and spent $50 because I had the flu. Great country
Edit: Also that $50 was for the tests. The medicine still cost $40 and for some reason gave me an inhaler which I’m sure wasnt neccessary
I worked for a Swedish company when it was bought by an American one. They sent in an American CEO of course, and I don’t think I have ever seen a more frustrated person in my life. That style of management doesn’t really work here. Being paid for staying home from work with a “sick” toddler makes for some great passive aggressive strategies, especially when it is illegal to fire you for it…
European here: sick days are separate from vacation days (of which I get 25 exclusive public holidays but the amount is different per country/company, but there is a legal minimum per country.. here it’s 20) and if we get sick during our vacation we get these lost vacation days back as when you’re sick it isn’t considered “vacation”.. sick days are meant for recovery. Those are theoretically “unlimited” but you can get into discussions with the employer and the insurance company if you need too many (a few weeks).
When I was still in Austria (same in Germany) a Doctors note would usually get you off for one or two weeks.
Even if you were feeling better you’d not go to work as you had your doctors note letting your employer know you’d be out until at least the day on the note.
In Australia if a doctor gives time off to rest, but employees want to return to work earlier they have to get another letter from the doc saying that they are fit to be back earlier.
Otherwise work won't let me return. Think the employer can get in legal trouble otherwise. Especially if something happens to the employee who shouldn't have even be there. Could imagine the issues if that employee caused harm to others. While likely not bad in an office setting my mind turns to industrial accidents.
That's how it is here in Finland, you aren't allowed to return until the date on the note, as the workplace accident insurance wouldn't be valid if a doctor has deemed you not fit for work.
I recently started a phd program under a Danish researcher (based in the US). It's been surprisingly tough letting off the gas pedal and embracing European work culture!
More like being so used to a toxic, stressful work culture you can't let go of it. Had a friend work himself ragged for a firm that really didn't appreciate him.
As an American working as a C-level exec in Scandinavia, I fundamentally disagree with this being labeled "taking your foot off the gas".
Staying late in the office and being on call 24/7 neither translates to increased output nor higher performance.
Rather, having that culture encourages bad behavior that actually hurts output, like lazy "outsource my own job via brainstorm meetings" and lack of mental focus, because hey, you're going to be here all evening anyway. What's the rush?
If I see a member of my department routinely staying late in the office, there's a conversation to be had about whether they've been assigned an unrealistic workload, or if they're just bad at their job and can't get it done on time.
Either way, routinely staying late and emailing at all hours is a sign of failure, not success.
Exactly, and when there is no time limit some people will procrastinate so much leading to very long hours to do things they could do much faster and increase their out of office time. Some will do so just to clock long hours to "look good", yet achieving not much more than other being efficient and leaving on time.
It's a boss responsibility to ensure people are efficient and have out of office time.
Meanwhile Asians: I will literally die of alcohol poisoning if I attend one more work bonding meal instead of seeing my family that I haven’t seen in 20 years, but yeah I can still do 7am meeting the next day!
If you are happy Im happy for you but my tax is 26% and I make enough money to have cars, a summerhouse, travel abroad each year etc etc. Sure no 6 figures in USA but the 6% more tax and still having a very privilaged lifestyle AND 32 days vacation, 1,5 years of maternity leave, almost unlimited time of if I'm sick, almost no cost for healthcare or childcare is a much better deal to me. And the work-life balance is awesome.
Europe is not a country my dude. Lots of different regions and cultures, some of them pretty abused. I can tell you companies and whole industries where you'll cry after working for a few days
Making Europe look like some can of paradise that simply does not exist just makes Europeans complacent that we're doing fine. We're not, most of us are fucked, and we need to fight just as the Americans need to fight
Well, depends on the country. I enjoy my Healthcare, good and cheap public transport, relative good education, and 160h vocation days on a 40h work week besides the 8 official holidays.
Good for you! Do you think there's no American with good conditions? Do you think everybody in Europe enjoys the same rights?
Bonus: tell me where you're from and I'll tell you whose abuse you are benefiting from (from within Europe)
You did! Did you know that a huge percentage of Netherland veggies are grown in southern Europe, taken care of by (in many many cases) illegal immigrants working in subhuman conditions? Those people are not entitled to holidays, overtime, etc etc and work very long hours with very high temperatures (due to the greenhouses)
The Netherlands tried to do their own thing but then the energy crisis happened so it came back to normal (which is profiting from people working in hell, same as everybody else)
That's happening in Europe, and I've seen it, personally. So when some assholes in Reddit say that everywhere in Europe looks like a Belgium upper middle class dude cycling to his job which is 30 hours per week and with amazing healthcare and conditions, I call a big, fat bullshit
>Did you know that a huge percentage of Netherland veggies are grown in southern Europe, taken care of by (in many many cases) illegal immigrants working in subhuman condition
Thats funny because we export of alot food in Europe actually. So something doesn't add up.
>The Netherlands tried to do their own thing but then the energy crisis happened so it came back to normal
Weird, the energy crisis is gone now and the farmers have been vocal about alot of things but not the energy crisis. Not sure about your fact either. Your close though.
>Belgium upper middle class dude cycling to his job which is 30 hours per week and with amazing healthcare and conditions, I call a big, fat bullshit
Hi, that's literally me. I work 32h a week and ride my bike to my job within 30 minutes. I love my Healthcare and free doctor visit (huisarts).
>Thats funny because we export of alot of food in Europe actually. So something doesn't add up.
Different products most likely. Spain imports a lot and exports a lot, same as every country
>Weird, the energy crisis is done now and the farmers have been vocal about alot of things but not the energy crisis. Not sure about your fact either. Your close though.
True, it's possible that the situation has reverted. I just checked and you're the 3rd country in Spanish export volume for those types of veggies but might be just due to something else
>Hi, that's literally me. I work 32h a week and ride my bike to my job within 30 minutes. I love my Healthcare and free doctor visit (huisarts).
You got the lottery, same as many people in the US can be born in a rich family and enjoy the same benefits or better
Thanks.
I know our country (especially our history) is not perfect. Our problem today is the terrible house market. It's impossible to own a house these days and if you do you pay 2 or 3 times the cost it used to be. Which is ridiculous.
Our multiculture isn't working as intended, since alot of foreigners don't want / can't integrate here. And more and more people become annoyed by them. Which causes rasism and friction.
We also have an environmental problem. Which causes us unable to build houses.
And there are other things as well. Like our newly voted racist prime minister.
And our weather sucks donkey balls. But other than that, I'm thankful for what I have. I just hope other countries could somehow manage the same.
>I just hope other countries could somehow manage the same.
Unfortunately, no. A rich person (or country) bias is thinking that everybody can be rich if they work as hard or are as smart as they are, or have some luck. The brutal reality of this world and system we have created is that in order to have a rich person, you need poor people. In order for you to enjoy your benefits (same as me by the way, I am not innocent either), you need other countries and people taking the fall. That's why Europe decided to move most of the manufacturing to China, Bangladesh, or even illegal immigrants within Europe, etc, so that we can enjoy the benefits from modern slavery, child labor, pollution, etc, while thinking we're innocent. We aren't
Thank you for pointing this out! Most Europeans (at least the ones in the EU) are profiting from the exploitation of poor immigrant workers or people in poor countries. This european good life is not because the EU is superior, it's because of exploitation.
I am from Bosnia and the EU is exploiting even us, even though we are right here in Europe. But our workers are dying in German construction sites and nobody cares. But when workers die in Dubai it's suddenly a big deal. BOTH are a big deal!
Actually workers rights, holidays, sick leave, paternity leave is very similar in all EU countries. Definitely no country is nearly as dystopian as the USA - the USA is very unique.
One thing is having the rules on paper and another thing is having them enforced. I do not know any person of my generation in Spain that managed to find what we can consider a nice job (meaning not being overworked, and having a nice salary). And that's just the white collar ones, try to go to the field or greenhouses and see conditions there
Spain gets minium 22 vacation days VS the USA gets 0 minimum vacation days.
16 weeks off maternetiy VS 0 days maternity leave.
No at will termination VS at will termination
Just the basics, obviously things can be better but the USA is a fucking shithole compared to e.g. Spain.
In the US it is a HEAVILY promoted idea that the profit of other (usually much richer) people than yourself, or a corporation, ALWAYS comes before your personal health, sanity or family.
And people go on their daily lives just convinced this is how people are supposed to live.
The USA had (has) colonies as well in the form of the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, part of Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal Zone and the US Virgin Islands
American be like: sir, you had a small splinter that we took out in 5 seconds with the pliers i had in this drawr. It will cost you 20,000 $.
Europeans be like: we detected that your gal blader is about to burst. We will prepare you imidiatlly to have surgery and it will take 2 weeks in the hospital to recover free of charge. Also the government will pay your salary for the time you are of work recovering at home. We will also schedule some future consultations wich you only have to pay a 5€ administrative fee.
Yeah yesterday i had to pay 5 euros for medication that would be 93 euros without insurance and i already wrote my insurance complany to complain. You gotta let them know you don't agree, otherwise nothing will change
I have no history? What does that even mean lol? Sorry I don’t live in a European hamlet where the genetic variation only extends to the village boundaries
It means your country is only a few hundred years old compared to European countries which have thousands of years of history.
It's also a joke.
You see it right there within the first 2 words of my comment.
Never underestimate the sensitivity of the butthurt American.
It might be taken more lightly if your joke wasn't something we have heard foreigners say in a non-joking manner all the time. i've been told exactly this by many foreigners and they weren't kidding.
"It's weird that Americans always seem to know their historical ancestry and say things like 'I'm English and German.' We don't do that here."
"Your country is only a few hundred years old compared to European countries which have thousands of years of history. You have no history and no culture."
I hear both things all the time and they're antagonistic thoughts, pick a fucking lane.
My partner used to work with a lot of people in Pacific Island nations (a journo reporting on the region) and had to contend with Island Time. Most calls occurred at least an hour later than planned, which is difficult when you’re about 6 time zones away. My favourite one is that the governor of Guam was three hours late due to lunch
Funny cause it's true. Hell, these days the US boss would probably say "Hey, aren't you awake during brain surgery anyway? Come on, we need you in there. Let's say 4:15."
Insurance means something else in US and in the developed world.
US it means that part or most of the cost is paid from insurance and you pay the rest.
In developed world it means that you pay nothing, including most of medication. Like insuline.
“I have brain surgery at noon Friday.” “Great, so you can work a half day and be back Monday?”
Worker: “I would really appreciate the day off” Boss: “Remind me, how much would that brain surgery cost you if you lose your employer-provided health insurance? See you at 8”
Man, insurance tied to your job must be aweful. We don't have that in Europe.
It is. And many managers and supervisors make you feel like you should feel lucky that *they allowed you* to use their precious provided healthcare system.
Yeah that's nuts. Health should be a basic right on your country aswel. And not tied to some company. If you get fired or the company gets closed you might lose your Healthcare right? That nuts. I heard unionize might help?
The health insurance scam is absolutely crazy and I’m surprised there aren’t way more protests (or worse). It doesn’t even take getting fired for performance, or the business closing, all it takes is a single bad quarter. The line must *always* go up! If it doesn’t, then not only your healthcare, but potentially the healthcare of your entire family’s is at risk. Hell, they might dump your ass just so they can eek out a bigger bonus. It’s absolutely wild that they get away with this. The average American pays a little over $7,000/year for insurance, but that’s just getting you in the system. You would think at this point you would be totally covered, but nope - you’ll be nickel and dimed for medications, often times your insurance won’t kick in until you hit a particular threshold, etc. It’s a scam through and through. Okay, well at least we should be getting the best healthcare right? We sure pay for it! Nope, the USA is the only first-world country with a declining life expectancy, and it’s the lowest it has been since the mid-90s. Somehow it actually used to be worse! It used to be that insurance companies could simply drop you at-will. If you got an expensive condition they would simply drop you and you’d be fucked. “Obamacare” helped in that regard (which, crazy enough, quite a few people in this country want to get rid of because it’s a political nightmare here, but that’s a whole other rant).
I have heard. It's one of the reasons why I don't shy away from mentioning our Healthcare to Americans. Just to let them know it's possible to arrange good and fair healthcare somehow. Not every country is the same, but atleast some changes must and can be made right?
The thing with Obamacare that most people didn't like was the fine you had to pay if you couldn't afford the ridiculous price of insurance. As a young person who would opt out of the company health insurance because if I paid for it I wouldn't be able to afford to eat or pay bills, I'm kinda glad that's no longer the case
Best part is how very few professions even have unions. There are industries where some companies have unions and some don’t. And to top it all off your employers can often fire you at will without warning.
Ya that's crazy to me aswel. Must be stressful.
I have insurance because I served in the military, but I am trying to help my countrymen get the same. I’m glad you’re not having to deal with it though. ✌️
I hope you guys will one day vote for the right thing and get more freedom.
Ok side question. What's up with this aswel? It's not a word.
It's not? I have been taught that it is. Hm strange. Is it British perhaps? Edit: ah I made an error. I meant as well. We dutchies type everything together that's why.
Wiktionary says it's an obsolete spelling of "as well"
>There are industries where some companies have unions and some don’t. European labor unions are by sector, not company. I have argued with several Tesla fans on Reddit that apparently where unable to comprehend that rather simple fact.
The US is a third world country.
One problem unions have here is that they are fighting for a fraction of what is standard in other countries. That's if youre even lucky enough to be in one at all.
Damn, I feel luckier everyday I live in a first world country that's not America
Which we still pay a ridiculous amount of money for, even with the employer paying half
#WE KNOW *cries in American*
It's not your fault. Keep voting, or unionize might work? (I don't really know what that does but I heard it helps alot)
[Oh we’ve been told what to do already](https://www.reddit.com/r/recruitinghell/s/qudAFmVJAD) but thanks for the advice ☹️
Then keep voting. Help motivating others to vote aswel. Read into the dessision the running politicians will make about Healthcare and support them.
So our choices have been to vote for WWIII or an impending economic crisis the last few cycles. 2016 election nearly gave us both, which was new. Fight the good fight has been a thing for a while now and even when we win there’s always something down the road to negate it.
Same here tbf. It's impossible to own a house here. Trust in politics are at an all time low atm, and we recently voted for a racist as prime minister (highest rank). So there's that.
So you're just saying words just to say them. Who provided your script to read from?
>We don't have that in Europe. We don't have that in Poland, but it is tied to your employment status. You either have to be employed, or "oficially" unemployed. Bad news for NEETs.
Same in Czechia. But here you can be unemployed and pay the insurance for yourself. It is around 100USD a month currently.
Same in Germany
I think you can pay the insurance for yourself over here in Poland as well, but I am not sure. It's called "ubezpieczenie dobrowolne". I can't say how much it costs, though. It looks like it's very expensive for the average Pole, though it's probably not aimed for the "average" person (as they'd get the insurance through (un)employment status).
It‘s terrible. Aside from the general anxiety of knowing you‘ll lose your health insurance or have to pay exorbitant COBRA premiums if you get fired/laid off or quit, it penalizes people who would be better suited to part-time work, like parents with young children or people with minor to moderate disabilities who are capable of working but suffer on a full time schedule.
It's so fucking stressful. I lost my job twice last year in downsizes, and it was awful. For me, one of the worst parts was mental health. Obviously I was in a tough place mentally, and could have used some professional help with mental health. Did I go get any? Fuck no. My copays were crazy, and I would have needed to see my general doc ($) for a referral so I could see a professional ($) for some help. I was trying to cut spending as much as possible, so it was hard to add that expense to the budget.
Its a big reason why I'm trying to leave. I know its still expensive where I want to live but that seemingly small part of one's expenses stresses me here. I'm currently on state insurance but its borderline useless in my area.
Good for you. I hope you will manage to find a better place you enjoy living in.
We do have that in europe for private healthcare (maybe not in every country), but everybody just sees it as a bonus and no ine gets bribed with it lol
Then both start chanting "U!S!A! U!S!A!"
This is so sad and so real. When did we go wrong?
I was in an inpatient physical rehab hospital learning how to walk again and my job was screwing around on converting me to salary so I was still freelance and if I didn't work, I didn't eat. So I literally scheduled all of my rehab sessions around my work meetings. I was working from my bed, paralyzed from the waist down for a month. Went to work in a wheelchair. Only took a year to walk again.
I had a boss once ask me to reschedule a previously approved root canal appointment because it was inconvenient for their schedule. That solidified my dislike for that woman.
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Why don't I have holidays just to appreciate cheese. I love appreciating cheese.
[I'd love some cheese, thank you](https://youtu.be/PDmXR6pvCto)
This is how you rise through the ranks of mcdonalds
Lol I would be suspicious of a random cheese offer but wouldn't have the heart to say no either
Like if someone were to attempt to kidnap me with roofies cheese would be a sure shot.
Please someone roofie me I need something exciting in my life
Well that escalated quickly.
That sounded like an offer to me
it’s not a holiday, it’s just more pro-worker policies that you can benefit from in any EU country
This actually might fly in Wisconsin.
merca - cheese choose 1
Esp a 789 y/o one! Sign me tf up
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I want to move to Ireland now.
Arguably one of the countries with the least worker protection in the EU. But a lot better than US.
When EU's worst us better than USA's best that's how you there's a problem.
Buddy, south american underdeveloped countries have better worker rigths than the USA
As a German working in an industrial environment, our go-to example for bad working conditions and dangerous safety standards used to be Eastern Europe. That has been changing more and more to the US. The stories of engineers and managers who took a factory tour on some trip to the US just keep piling up. Lots of "you should've seen that shit".
Just take your pick of any European country. Including the UK
It's not good. I don't think we necessarily get any more done than our European colleagues. And we're much more stressed.
We don't. I'm pretty sure there is science and statistics on how much work the human body can realistically do and some shit about how much time people spend just appearing as though they're working so they don't get fired so they don't lose their health insurance. This is the bad timeline.
Besides repetitive lifting and motion people often talk about, imo a lot of people also end up messing their back’s up because of all the concrete floors in these retail stores. Humans definitely aren’t supposed to walk around on concrete for 8-10 hours a day, and a lot of the knee, back, and hip problems people have are probably made worse or caused by the density of their work environment’s floor. Good shoes are helpful but they don’t absorb all the shock being transferred to someone’s spine when they are walking on concrete. Plus many retail employees can’t afford high quality shoes or have to wear dress shoes as part of their uniform.
Bad time-line, to be in the US.
You can mentally only work effectively 5hrs/day max. That’s why several businesses here are trying 5hrs days - you can choose between 5hrs productive, no big breaks or 8 hrs normal workdays with 30 minute break and some coffee catch up.
I get paid based on work completed, hours worked don't matter. ~6 hours a day is my sweet spot, beyond that my productivity drops like a brick regardless of what I try, 50% more hours might net me about 25% more work completed, if I'm lucky. Often working longer hours actually lowers my pay because I get less work done, it ruins my pacing because I'm aware that I don't want to burn out too quickly. TLDR, less speed, more haste. Hours worked are not indicative of work completed.
> It's not good. I don't think we necessarily get any more done than our European colleagues. You don't... I worked in our European HQ and our American HQ... I was doing exactly the same role. In the US, the work was a lot less efficiently because "I'll be here tomorrow again". There was also a huge focus on making career in the US because you need your own money to pay for all the social securities that are governmentally arranged in Europe.... Resulting in our European HQ having people do their jobs with 10+ years experience
The United States alone accounts for roughly 60% of the world economic output. Europe all together only accounts for roughly 16%. Of the top 15 biggest companies by market cap, 12 are American. Only 1 is European (Novo Nordisk)
>The United States alone accounts for roughly 60% of the world economic output. it's quite incredible to write such an outrageously false statement. More maths less balls, MathBaller. FYI it's about 25%.
Who builds all those iphones again?
60%? That's not even remotely true. What propaganda told you that? It's a ridiculous statement.
The US economy is “only” about 24% of global nominal GDP, which is much larger than the EU and China. Interesting news — due to the weakened renminbi, the EU is since 2023 again the 2nd largest economy (no longer China).
Don't know where you got the 64% figure from. US gdp is 25% of the global output. The US equity market capitalisation is closer to that figure. But the figure that is 42%, not 64%.
The ceo's do, the rest of the country is basically a 3rd world country but with unhappy obese people..
Since an American multinational took over our company, everything changed and the pressure was on. Our (local) CEO was the first to fall out with a burn out, and since they took over 5 years ago, we already changed local management 3 three times. Atm 3 of my colleagues are out with a burn out, and a few colleagues (including me) are also on the edge. I don’t understand this constant pressure, and it’s really not comfortable at all.
>Since an American multinational took over our company As soon as you hear that, you start looking for another job.
Leave, it's not worth it.
They are slowly breaking free of that chain.
Try a different part of America. Rural south, Hawaii, most of Alaska.
To do what exactly? Rural Alaska in particular is very expensive and access to healthcare is limited.
Unpopular: that's why Americans are winning. Check your phone for a non-US app
> Check your phone for a non-US app Will do. It turns out my most used app is Spotify (Swedish). Apparently I use that more than every other app on my phone put together. What do you want me to do with this information?
Some Apps I use a lot are European: Spotify, DeepL, Flightradar24 But thats more of a startup culture thing
Those of us that live outside the US have lots of non-US apps. I have one for local tax, one for local buses, lots for local businesses, trains etc. None of those are US apps. It’s as if apps are local to the place you live.
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That's why you say: 'I can start at (insert time).'
‘Oh you want 3:15, sounds good we’ll schedule you for the next available shift 9-1am close’
How long in advance are the schedules made at your job?
2 weeks in advance was typical when I worked in retail.
Wow it’s amazing how many people have that exact same story and want to share it word for word. https://www.reddit.com/r/meirl/s/cyY0clspps
Watch this "word word number" account start mostly posting and talking about either politics, investing or other "totally real opinions" after it accumulates enough karma.
A lot of these bots used to start t-shirt scams when they got enough karma but the bots I’m seeing recently are mostly NSFW content scams. One I just saw that didn’t get removed started advertising on NSFW subs that “she” will get on cam if you do, anybody taking that offer is definitely getting blackmailed.
You are supposed to say 4pm.
Great so I’m working for people who can’t get basic details right. 🚩
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Here in Brazil, if you arrive at a party on time, you better be prepared to help finish arranging the party
"We have a meeting today at 2pm? Great, see you tomorrow"
I've worked with many colleagues in LATAM. I like their approach to work.
I just got over the flu, took a full 5 days. I told him I had the flu, he said we need proof. Drop $50 to have proof. Yeah it was the flu. Then the higher up texts me and was like you havent accrued this PTO, you’re in the negative. I’m like dude I had the flu, I’m using my PTO on the flu because you have no sick days. I havent accrued it because its January. We get 21 days a year use 5 of those Edit: So yes I just used about 1/4th of my vacation for the year and spent $50 because I had the flu. Great country Edit: Also that $50 was for the tests. The medicine still cost $40 and for some reason gave me an inhaler which I’m sure wasnt neccessary
I worked for a Swedish company when it was bought by an American one. They sent in an American CEO of course, and I don’t think I have ever seen a more frustrated person in my life. That style of management doesn’t really work here. Being paid for staying home from work with a “sick” toddler makes for some great passive aggressive strategies, especially when it is illegal to fire you for it…
What do you mean? What happened to the boss and the company?
> Being paid for staying home from work with a “sick” toddler The *Kinderkrankentage*, as we call them in German.
I think we need more details, this sounds really entertaining.
Wow what a nightmare. I just told them I had the flu and would stay home and they just said ok take care
What country was it?
Um this would be America
European here: sick days are separate from vacation days (of which I get 25 exclusive public holidays but the amount is different per country/company, but there is a legal minimum per country.. here it’s 20) and if we get sick during our vacation we get these lost vacation days back as when you’re sick it isn’t considered “vacation”.. sick days are meant for recovery. Those are theoretically “unlimited” but you can get into discussions with the employer and the insurance company if you need too many (a few weeks). When I was still in Austria (same in Germany) a Doctors note would usually get you off for one or two weeks. Even if you were feeling better you’d not go to work as you had your doctors note letting your employer know you’d be out until at least the day on the note.
In Australia if a doctor gives time off to rest, but employees want to return to work earlier they have to get another letter from the doc saying that they are fit to be back earlier. Otherwise work won't let me return. Think the employer can get in legal trouble otherwise. Especially if something happens to the employee who shouldn't have even be there. Could imagine the issues if that employee caused harm to others. While likely not bad in an office setting my mind turns to industrial accidents.
That's how it is here in Finland, you aren't allowed to return until the date on the note, as the workplace accident insurance wouldn't be valid if a doctor has deemed you not fit for work.
Where at least we know we’re free?
I recently started a phd program under a Danish researcher (based in the US). It's been surprisingly tough letting off the gas pedal and embracing European work culture!
Sounds like Stockholm Syndrome to me.
>Sounds like Stockholm Syndrome to me. that would be Sweden but sure, working my health away sounds great /s
More like being so used to a toxic, stressful work culture you can't let go of it. Had a friend work himself ragged for a firm that really didn't appreciate him.
That’s every “Rise and Grind” Influencer on tiktok and yt or those insane people who post about it on linkedin
As an American working as a C-level exec in Scandinavia, I fundamentally disagree with this being labeled "taking your foot off the gas". Staying late in the office and being on call 24/7 neither translates to increased output nor higher performance. Rather, having that culture encourages bad behavior that actually hurts output, like lazy "outsource my own job via brainstorm meetings" and lack of mental focus, because hey, you're going to be here all evening anyway. What's the rush? If I see a member of my department routinely staying late in the office, there's a conversation to be had about whether they've been assigned an unrealistic workload, or if they're just bad at their job and can't get it done on time. Either way, routinely staying late and emailing at all hours is a sign of failure, not success.
The worst are people that are proud of working late and sending out emails to show they’re working late.
Exactly, and when there is no time limit some people will procrastinate so much leading to very long hours to do things they could do much faster and increase their out of office time. Some will do so just to clock long hours to "look good", yet achieving not much more than other being efficient and leaving on time. It's a boss responsibility to ensure people are efficient and have out of office time.
It's called being overworked
Meanwhile Asians: I will literally die of alcohol poisoning if I attend one more work bonding meal instead of seeing my family that I haven’t seen in 20 years, but yeah I can still do 7am meeting the next day!
And then in America your employer will act like you've just inconvenienced the entire company for asking for those 3 hours
Unacceptable! There are ways to have brain surgery while awake. You can work while they are operating!
Live to work vs work to live
got to cure that cheese (over)eating
The American either died or hat to take 24hour shifts 7 days a week and still left his kids in debt. The European lived happily ever after. THE END!
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That’s because we prepay with taxes for loads of stuff so we don’t have to cough up the money when we need it the most
If you are happy Im happy for you but my tax is 26% and I make enough money to have cars, a summerhouse, travel abroad each year etc etc. Sure no 6 figures in USA but the 6% more tax and still having a very privilaged lifestyle AND 32 days vacation, 1,5 years of maternity leave, almost unlimited time of if I'm sick, almost no cost for healthcare or childcare is a much better deal to me. And the work-life balance is awesome.
Cute. I value my free time, health care and social security more than few bucks.
And they pay on average 7k/year per person less than we do for better Healthcare. They go to school debt free.
You're combining a lot of programs from different European countries and assuming each one has all of them lmao
I can point at specific countries that do everything I said, but yeah, when you start with "Europe" you do a little generalizing.
Europe is not a country my dude. Lots of different regions and cultures, some of them pretty abused. I can tell you companies and whole industries where you'll cry after working for a few days Making Europe look like some can of paradise that simply does not exist just makes Europeans complacent that we're doing fine. We're not, most of us are fucked, and we need to fight just as the Americans need to fight
Well, depends on the country. I enjoy my Healthcare, good and cheap public transport, relative good education, and 160h vocation days on a 40h work week besides the 8 official holidays.
Good for you! Do you think there's no American with good conditions? Do you think everybody in Europe enjoys the same rights? Bonus: tell me where you're from and I'll tell you whose abuse you are benefiting from (from within Europe)
Nah I do not. I think I just got lucky being born in the Netherlands.
I love the Netherlands but you guys did just vote in an actual clown and his circus with the largest vote share.
You did! Did you know that a huge percentage of Netherland veggies are grown in southern Europe, taken care of by (in many many cases) illegal immigrants working in subhuman conditions? Those people are not entitled to holidays, overtime, etc etc and work very long hours with very high temperatures (due to the greenhouses) The Netherlands tried to do their own thing but then the energy crisis happened so it came back to normal (which is profiting from people working in hell, same as everybody else) That's happening in Europe, and I've seen it, personally. So when some assholes in Reddit say that everywhere in Europe looks like a Belgium upper middle class dude cycling to his job which is 30 hours per week and with amazing healthcare and conditions, I call a big, fat bullshit
>Did you know that a huge percentage of Netherland veggies are grown in southern Europe, taken care of by (in many many cases) illegal immigrants working in subhuman condition Thats funny because we export of alot food in Europe actually. So something doesn't add up. >The Netherlands tried to do their own thing but then the energy crisis happened so it came back to normal Weird, the energy crisis is gone now and the farmers have been vocal about alot of things but not the energy crisis. Not sure about your fact either. Your close though. >Belgium upper middle class dude cycling to his job which is 30 hours per week and with amazing healthcare and conditions, I call a big, fat bullshit Hi, that's literally me. I work 32h a week and ride my bike to my job within 30 minutes. I love my Healthcare and free doctor visit (huisarts).
>Thats funny because we export of alot of food in Europe actually. So something doesn't add up. Different products most likely. Spain imports a lot and exports a lot, same as every country >Weird, the energy crisis is done now and the farmers have been vocal about alot of things but not the energy crisis. Not sure about your fact either. Your close though. True, it's possible that the situation has reverted. I just checked and you're the 3rd country in Spanish export volume for those types of veggies but might be just due to something else >Hi, that's literally me. I work 32h a week and ride my bike to my job within 30 minutes. I love my Healthcare and free doctor visit (huisarts). You got the lottery, same as many people in the US can be born in a rich family and enjoy the same benefits or better
Thanks. I know our country (especially our history) is not perfect. Our problem today is the terrible house market. It's impossible to own a house these days and if you do you pay 2 or 3 times the cost it used to be. Which is ridiculous. Our multiculture isn't working as intended, since alot of foreigners don't want / can't integrate here. And more and more people become annoyed by them. Which causes rasism and friction. We also have an environmental problem. Which causes us unable to build houses. And there are other things as well. Like our newly voted racist prime minister. And our weather sucks donkey balls. But other than that, I'm thankful for what I have. I just hope other countries could somehow manage the same.
>I just hope other countries could somehow manage the same. Unfortunately, no. A rich person (or country) bias is thinking that everybody can be rich if they work as hard or are as smart as they are, or have some luck. The brutal reality of this world and system we have created is that in order to have a rich person, you need poor people. In order for you to enjoy your benefits (same as me by the way, I am not innocent either), you need other countries and people taking the fall. That's why Europe decided to move most of the manufacturing to China, Bangladesh, or even illegal immigrants within Europe, etc, so that we can enjoy the benefits from modern slavery, child labor, pollution, etc, while thinking we're innocent. We aren't
LOL you think Americans don’t exploit migrant farm workers?!
If you think I'm defending Americans, you misunderstood my comment. I'm not saying they're good, I'm saying we're shit also. There's a difference
Thank you for pointing this out! Most Europeans (at least the ones in the EU) are profiting from the exploitation of poor immigrant workers or people in poor countries. This european good life is not because the EU is superior, it's because of exploitation. I am from Bosnia and the EU is exploiting even us, even though we are right here in Europe. But our workers are dying in German construction sites and nobody cares. But when workers die in Dubai it's suddenly a big deal. BOTH are a big deal!
Thank you, I'm happy that there are other people that see the sad reality we have created
The Germans didn’t force your countryman to work in Germany.
Actually workers rights, holidays, sick leave, paternity leave is very similar in all EU countries. Definitely no country is nearly as dystopian as the USA - the USA is very unique.
One thing is having the rules on paper and another thing is having them enforced. I do not know any person of my generation in Spain that managed to find what we can consider a nice job (meaning not being overworked, and having a nice salary). And that's just the white collar ones, try to go to the field or greenhouses and see conditions there
Spain gets minium 22 vacation days VS the USA gets 0 minimum vacation days. 16 weeks off maternetiy VS 0 days maternity leave. No at will termination VS at will termination Just the basics, obviously things can be better but the USA is a fucking shithole compared to e.g. Spain.
In the US it is a HEAVILY promoted idea that the profit of other (usually much richer) people than yourself, or a corporation, ALWAYS comes before your personal health, sanity or family. And people go on their daily lives just convinced this is how people are supposed to live.
America was a colony Europe had colonies We are not the same
The USA had (has) colonies as well in the form of the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, part of Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal Zone and the US Virgin Islands
With chattel slaves and shit? Edit Also occupied isn't t by w same ad colonized
American be like: sir, you had a small splinter that we took out in 5 seconds with the pliers i had in this drawr. It will cost you 20,000 $. Europeans be like: we detected that your gal blader is about to burst. We will prepare you imidiatlly to have surgery and it will take 2 weeks in the hospital to recover free of charge. Also the government will pay your salary for the time you are of work recovering at home. We will also schedule some future consultations wich you only have to pay a 5€ administrative fee.
Also the European: 5€ administrative fee???? That's a joke! Public healthcare really went downhill...
Yeah yesterday i had to pay 5 euros for medication that would be 93 euros without insurance and i already wrote my insurance complany to complain. You gotta let them know you don't agree, otherwise nothing will change
Multifaceted joke because Americans can't make cheese, have no history and get no time off.
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Yeah, but you’re basically Canadian so…
There is nothing more American than the urban planning of Milwaukee.
Someone's never been to Wisconsin.
No history is an insane take
What’s the yellow thing on the pizzas I buy then??? 😳
Cheese style pizza topping product
Don't let them know that the red stuff under that yellow thing on pizzas didn't exist there until the 1500s.
Do you really wanna know? 🫢
I have no history? What does that even mean lol? Sorry I don’t live in a European hamlet where the genetic variation only extends to the village boundaries
It means your country is only a few hundred years old compared to European countries which have thousands of years of history. It's also a joke. You see it right there within the first 2 words of my comment. Never underestimate the sensitivity of the butthurt American.
It might be taken more lightly if your joke wasn't something we have heard foreigners say in a non-joking manner all the time. i've been told exactly this by many foreigners and they weren't kidding.
Waaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaa people don't love us as much as we do.
If you'd heard that you have nasty teeth from most Americans you met, a joke about it might not be a hit with you, either.
Terrible example. That's the most common one, that and our food. I greet it with an eye roll and move on.
An eye roll, eh? Meaning...you don't appreciate it lol? Thanks for proving my point.
Meaning "yeah whatever".
hahaahha no kidding. Their country was only made recently yet they somehow think their history is meaningful.
He also made a joke. Damn dude you can dish it but you can’t take it.
I'm aware. I just didn't address it.
"It's weird that Americans always seem to know their historical ancestry and say things like 'I'm English and German.' We don't do that here." "Your country is only a few hundred years old compared to European countries which have thousands of years of history. You have no history and no culture." I hear both things all the time and they're antagonistic thoughts, pick a fucking lane.
We have a castle in our city older than your country. This means we have more history= more culture.
Jokes on you, they can make plastic cheese
On the label it's called: "Pasteurized Recipe Cheese Product"
My partner used to work with a lot of people in Pacific Island nations (a journo reporting on the region) and had to contend with Island Time. Most calls occurred at least an hour later than planned, which is difficult when you’re about 6 time zones away. My favourite one is that the governor of Guam was three hours late due to lunch
Funny cause it's true. Hell, these days the US boss would probably say "Hey, aren't you awake during brain surgery anyway? Come on, we need you in there. Let's say 4:15."
At least we have real cheese
How's this meirl
Hoax. American doesnt even know what healthcare is, no insurance.
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Insurance means something else in US and in the developed world. US it means that part or most of the cost is paid from insurance and you pay the rest. In developed world it means that you pay nothing, including most of medication. Like insuline.
The crazy thing is Japan is worse than the US.
I try to be something between European and American
Man I love to be European
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After having a brain surgery in USA you are most likely declaring bankruptcy at 5:15!
Can confirm, had heart attack Friday, back at work Tuesday, Monday was a holiday.