Sanders says US should adopt laws mandating five-week vacations

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) suggested the U.S. ought to adopt European-style laws mandating employees receive five or six weeks of vacation time.

“We should begin to look at other countries in Europe where people get, by law five, six weeks paid vacation,” said Sanders in an appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO show Friday. 

“Let’s be clear, the people in our country, as the middle class declines, are working longer hours for low wages,” said Sanders. “There are jobs now being offered that provide virtually no vacation time at all. And in America we should understand this. Our people are now working almost the longest hours of any other major country on earth. People are under stress. They’re exhausted.”

As the only self-proclaimed socialist in the Senate, Sanders often speaks out on the Senate floor about workers' rights and his belief that America’s middle class is in decline. 

Sanders's appearance on “Real Time” can be viewed here.