It's the only advanced economy in the world that doesn't have federal laws requiring paid leave for vacations or sick time, and as a result, many rely on policies that vary by employer. When left up to businesses, the average American worker gets just 11 days of paid vacation in their first year at a company, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In a culture that prizes productivity, even workers who do get vacation days often leave them on the table. Krys Elexandra, 26, lived in Arizona and moved to Germany 18 months ago to explore Europe and because of her strong interest in German culture. Elexandra is entitled to 30 paid days off in Germany and was surprised to find it's "extremely easy" to request time off.

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Persons: Krys Elexandra, Elexandra Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNBC Locations: Europe, Arizona, Germany, South Korea