PENNSYLVANIA — As the calendar winds down and inboxes fill with year-end reminders, a new nationwide survey delivers an uncomfortable distinction for Pennsylvania: no state’s workers are leaving more paid time off unused.
New 2025 data from Solitaired, a Unwind Media brand, shows Pennsylvania employees averaging 6.8 unused PTO days this year — the highest figure in the country. Three out of four workers in the state said they expect to finish the year with vacation time still on the table, placing Pennsylvania among the top states for unused leave.
The findings arrive at a critical moment, as many workers scramble to take remaining days before “use it or lose it” deadlines kick in. Yet the data suggests that for a majority of Pennsylvanians, unused PTO is not an accident — it is a pattern.
While 52 percent of Pennsylvania workers said they either used or plan to use all of their allotted PTO, a larger share reported leaving days unused, most often because they are saving time for illness, future needs, or because stepping away would cause work to pile up. Travel, sickness, and rest were the most common reasons Pennsylvanians did take time off.
Nationally, the issue extends well beyond Pennsylvania. The survey found that 67 percent of American workers will leave at least some PTO unused in 2025, with nearly one in five reporting they left more time unused this year than last. Oklahoma and New Jersey followed Pennsylvania for the highest average unused PTO, while Oregon topped the list for the share of workers leaving vacation time untouched.
Industry data revealed similar trends. Employees in science and research roles reported the most unused PTO on average, followed closely by government workers. Despite often receiving structured benefits, many said workload pressure and fear of falling behind discouraged them from taking time off.
The rise of unlimited PTO policies has not solved the problem. Nearly one-quarter of workers with unlimited time off said they dislike the system, citing unspoken expectations, difficulty getting approvals, and the lack of payout for unused time when leaving a job.
The data highlights a broader workplace tension: Americans say they want more time off, but many struggle to actually use what they already have. Sixty percent of respondents said they wish their employer offered more PTO, even as millions of hours of paid leave quietly expire.
As year-end deadlines approach, the survey paints a clear picture — for many workers, especially in Pennsylvania, vacation time exists on paper, but not always in practice.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.