I started working for a big farmacy that supplies retirement homes, hospices etc. last year in april. I am getting a bare minimum that one can get doing this job (it isn't livable money at all!), but I have 5 and a half weeks holiday per year (that's pretty much standard for Germany). I spend my holidays being with my family who is in another part of Europe.
As I was at my parent's home on vacay in january, someone in the company got into my work account and changed the number of vacation days I have left, robbing me of one whole week vacation in this year. As I came back and noticed it, I went to my boss and she told me she will investigate. It turned out, they somehow “made a mistake giving in too many vacation days as I started working” so now they “fixed that mistake”. She told me she was sorry no one spoke to me about that and that they did it behind my back, but if I have any complaints I can go to the guys “upstairs” (who just say something generic to brush you off quickly, and never really do anything in your favor).
I told her than and there that it's a no-go for me since every vacation day means a day with my family and friends. Since she couldn't do anything about it, I decided to give in my resignation at the end of this month and just go to my family for a couple of months. I don't wanna work for peanuts anymore for a company with no soul where no one is ever at fault or responcible, because what ever problem comes up, you have to go to someone else “upstairs”. No matter who you speak to, it's never their problem to solve, and you are always f***ed. I will spend my time in my country of origin learning a new skill and come back searching for a better payed job – or (or in time-) as a self employed woman.
I'm sorry for the rant that sounds like a first world problem since I saw on this sub that many people (most I saw from the USA) have it worse with less vacay and no healthcare etc., but even with this much vacay and heathcare it is close to impossible to have a comfortable life in Europe making minimum wage and not working the whole 40 hours a week. Also, I think that settling for less is what brought us here. If no one would work shitty jobs for next to nothing money, employers would have to increase our wages to get anyone to work for them.