About 60% of the workforce has become remote from the coronavirus pandemic.
Champja
The coronavirus has turned the way many employees do their jobs – both in person and at home – upside down and increased the time they spend on it.
In 2020, the average workday was extended by nearly an hour, according to a working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Despite the longer hours, employees also take fewer breaks. Since March, an overwhelming majority of Americans have cut, postponed or canceled their scheduled time off, according to a separate poll of more than 2,000 workers in July.
“When your kitchen table becomes your office, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between work and home,” said Claire Barnes, senior vice president of human resources at Monster Worldwide.
“Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more workers – across all industries – not taking the vacation and leisure time that their employers provide, whether due to increased work pressure or a struggle to find a good work-life balance.”
Even pre-pandemic, U.S. employees only used about half of their eligible vacation time, according to a survey of job openings and recruiting website Glassdoor.
More from Personal Finance:
Last minute money has to be made before the New Year
Your guide to holiday tips during the pandemic
It’s holiday bonus season
Now workers are at risk of forfeiting billions in lost benefits if that time cannot be discounted or extended.
According to a report by consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, only 42% of companies said they are changing vacation policies to increase flexibility, including increasing transfer limits for unused time off.
A separate poll by Monster found that nearly two-thirds, or 64%, of workers said their employer does not normally allow vacation rides, and 4 out of 5 workers said their employers had no room to maneuver because of the coronavirus crisis.
Beginning January 1, workers will also lose the federal mandate requiring paid time off for those suffering from Covid-19.
The CARES Act included an emergency provision that required employers to be eligible to offer the benefit to eligible employees through December 31 – without that policy, there is no national standard for paid family or sick leave.
However, under the terms of the new cut package, companies can still claim a tax credit to subsidize costs if they choose to provide paid time off until 2021.
According to Bill Gianoukos, founder and CEO of tele-health program provider Goodpath, many companies are likely to continue to offer that option even without the mandate, just as allowing some employees to take over more unused vacation days.
“Employers understand the importance of living a more balanced life and are more open to ensuring that employees receive the care they need.”
And yet it is up to the employees to stand up for themselves, Gianoukos said, “go back to your employer and request time off.”
Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.