I know, I was trying to add some outside perspective. Where I'm from, 5 weeks is the legal minimum, and everyone has the legal right to get 4 consecutive weeks off in the summer. Consequently, since everyone does this, and expects this, companies adjust for it, and most importantly: No-one bitches about it. There's no masochist culture around not taking vacation.

The problem with "unlimited" vacation is that it's of course not unlimited. There is a limit, it's just not written down on paper, it's not part of your employment contract. It's arbitrary. At one point, either your boss or your boss's boss is going to say no.

And if you get told no, you have no legal recourse! If you get fired for taking "too much", you can't sue for wrongful termination!

Fixed vacation time protects you as an employee. Why doesn't your company just give everyone five weeks of vacation and have that written down in the employment contract?

It's exactly like bonuses vs. salary. A bonus can always be withdrawn for any reason or no reason, but it's very difficult to lower someone's salary.

If it's written, it means that you have the minimum legal number of days in your jurisdiction and you are being screwed severely.