I never understand how people don't use their vacation time.

My employees, well a few, have a this same issue where they are constantly up against the vacation time wall where they won't earn anymore. Basically, wasting potential free pay.

I don't ever force someone to take time off, that's why they simply can't earn anymore... a simple yet effective mechanism. However, I do talk to them and remind them that they need time away from work. You need time to enjoy life, re-balance your brain and remain healthy.

Also, as others have mentioned, its a financial risk to the company as well. Excluding the risk of losing good employees who get burned out and quit, vacation time is time you've earned and thus must be paid. Even if you leave the company, you'll get paid out for vacation time earned. So, this becomes a negative on a companies financial reports.

In short... don't be so dedicated to work that you forget to live life. Take vacations, even if you just stick around your house or town, you need that away from work time to mentally re-balance. Of course, be a responsible adult and do it so that your company is not negatively impacted, but take time off.

As someone who just got back from a 2 week vacation to Europe and is now about to head out to a weekend at Disneyland, I can tell you that vacations are entirely possible and well worth it. :)

I wouldn't want the government requiring a specific vacation time. That should be a benefit the company can dictate.

1. Companies can remain more flexible and controlling of their costs.

2. It's a benefit employees can compare when looking for an employer.

3. What else are you losing as a potential benefit because the company has to pay out 5 weeks a year to each employee?

US doesn't require a specific number that I'm aware of. However, I've never worked at a company that didn't offer at least 2~3 weeks a year for FT employees. Where I work now, the first year you received 2 weeks vacation and 1 week personal time. The 2 to 6th year you get 3 weeks vacation and 1 week personal. 6+ you get 4 weeks vacation and 1 personal. A time based benefit is pretty common as well. So in reality I'm getting 4 weeks paid a year now, which honestly is a lot. 

Why? Companies have enough benefits already. They can dictate all they want, but if they ever touched my 5 weeks of vacation I would riot. 

1. On the other hand, with 5 weeks vacation employees can remain more flexible. More power to the employees. 

2. That's only a good argument if companies offer 6 or more weeks compared to 5 weeks by law. You could still want more vacation than 5 weeks, 5 is the very minimum.

3. Nothing? If anything there's more benefits.. to mention. What benefits do you have for not having 5 weeks of vacation?

Good for you if you are pleased with 4 weeks paid vacation. 

Nobody is arguing that lots of vacation time is bad.  Superchunk, like me, is saying that the law shouldn't dictate the terms of an employment relationship.  

Government screws up everything it touches.  The less it touches your life, the better off you are.  

Apparantly not here hehe

Go out and see the world dude. Travel to another country. Establish bonds with significant people. Don't take offence at what I'm going to say, but your life sounds extremely boring and lonely. Make it brighter and richer by exploring new places and meeting new people. :)