On: Why is America the 'no-vacation nation'?

[rmc]

I think this kind of thing would almost certainly be illegal in the EU. If the company closes it's doors and you're willing to work, then they cannot take that out of your annual leave.

Some countries laws (eg Ireland) explicitly allow forced closure for Christmas, it is also in several contracts (that part of your holidays must be over a certain period). This is the closest it gets in Europe.

[yxhuvud → rmc]

No.

It used to be pretty common here in Sweden that factories shut off for three weeks in the middle of the summer and everyone had vacation.

The practice is getting increasingly uncommon nowadays though since factory jobs is a smaller part of the total employment force.