WASHINGTON — Americans with paid time off on holidays like the Fourth of July are lucky, as nearly a quarter of Americans don’t have that luxury,according to government statistics.

Some 77 percent of Americans get paid vacation time at their jobs, and that is down from 80 percent from 20 years ago.

Not surprisingly, low-wage workers are less likely to get vacation time or paid time off for things like holidays — less than 50 percent (compared to 90 percent of high -wage workers).

On the other hand, all European Union countries require employers to offer at least 20 days off per year. France, at the highest end, mandates 30 days time off a year.

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