Karoshi or Which Way's North?

January 26th 2011:

Got all nice and rested up yesterday. I really needed a recharge, but I am already starting to feel drained again.

Read about this epidemic in Japan called Karoshi - people are working themselves to death... putting in so many hours, so much stress, they just keel over dead of heart failure or strokes.

Craziness

I have to say, the U.S. is on well on its way (if its not already - much like the folks at Disneyland, the US government likes to sweep unsavory death statistics under the rug).

According to a study released by Harvard and McGill University researchers in 2007, the U.S. is one of 4 countries out of 173, who's government does not guarantee paid maternity leave for any sector of the workforce (the other 3 countries: Liberia, Swaziland & Paupa New Guinea ). 137 countries polled mandate paid annual leave (121 of these guarantee 2 weeks or more), but, you guessed it, the U.S. doesn't require employers to provide paid leave...

And the best one: 145 countries provide paid sick days - more than 81 "provide sickness benefits for at least 26 weeks or until recovery"... what does the U.S. do? NOTHING! well, let's be fair... we can get UNPAID leave for "serious" illness through the FMLA (if you are lucky enough to be covered)...

P.S. I pulled these stats from that 2007 study, which you can look over yourself here.