True....but to be honest I haven't done my tax return for about 5 years so have some catching up to do.

When I lived in Germany we also had to do this, but my Union, IG Metal had a team of dedicated experts to help you fill out the returns. It was great getting a big rebate round about February every year. Other benefits of working in Germany were.

1. At Christmas we all got a 13 month salary as a bonus (most big companies do this as a loyalty bonus)

2. In the summer our holiday pay was based on your average earnings for the 3 months before you went on holiday, this was also an extra months salary.

3. You don't pay Income Tax on Night Shift earnings, or for working on a Sunday.

There were lots of other perks like free Spa Breaks on full pay if you were recuperating from an illness, no wonder Germany's in a terrible state

There are still things like this happening in Germany & Netherlands. I get something called "holiday pay" in May. Ultimately, they withhold something like 8.33% each month and then in May give it back to me, as well as my May salary - so I can now afford a holiday. Apparently was introduced years ago when people didn't know how to save.

My wife gets the 13th month, unfortunately not me.

I also started my job with 29.5 days holiday but get days off for things like moving house, attending family members weddings etc. Also, by law Dads can legally take one day off a week until their child is 8 years old (obviously not paid) but does allow them a chance to stay at home if they want and be part of a child's upbringing.

Crap things:
16 weeks maternity leave only!
Lowest number of bank holidays a year (only about 7 of them) plus if they land on a Saturday or Sunday they don't get rolled over. Last year Xmas & Boxing day was Saturday and Sunday, as was New Year's Day. We just had normal weekends!

I was on the ondernemingsraad at my employer and we successfully argued one year for our employer to grant the workforce 3 extra days holiday one year as most bank holidays seemed to fall on a weekend. They decide to make it every year on the condition that it was compulsory vacation between xmas and new year.

Comparing countries tells you lots - as i pointed out. It may not tell you much i agree

The reason its instructive is essentaily that it allows basic comparison between income and cost of living.

Google is your friend: see variation in the States for example:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Ba ... costs.aspx