The NFL bans 5 gamers for violating playing coverage

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Five NFL players have been banned for violating the National Football League’s gambling policy, the league announced today.

The policy prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling at any league facility or venue, including practice facilities. The league said its review found no evidence inside information was used.

No games were affected by the gambling, the NFL added.

Three players — the Detroit Lions’ Quintez Cephus and CJ Moore and the Washington Commanders’ Shaka Toney — will be suspended indefinitely, at least until the end of the 2023 season, for betting on NFL games in the previous season.

These players can apply for reinstatement at the end of the season.

Two other Lions athletes — Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams — are suspended from playing the first six regular-season games. You can participate in offseason and preseason activities.

Quintez Cephus #87 of the Detroit Lions catches the ball for a first down in the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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The NFL crackdown comes as 33 states, including Michigan and Washington, DC, have introduced legal betting markets since a landmark US Supreme Court case in 2018 paved the way for states to offer legal sports betting.

Earlier this week, the major pro leagues — the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, NASCAR and MLS — announced they were joining media outlets NBCUniversal and Fox in a coalition aimed at boosting the promotion of Regulate sports betting as it floods television, internet and print media.

Shortly after the suspensions were announced, the Detroit Lions said they would release Cephus and Moore. According to ESPN, the Lions became aware of the NFL’s investigation “about a month ago.”

“We are disappointed in the decisions made by Stanley and Jameson and will be working with both players to ensure they understand the seriousness of these violations and have clarity on future league rules,” said Brad Holmes, Detroit Lions executive vice president and general manager in an opinion.

Commanders said the team was aware of Toney’s suspension. “We have fully cooperated with the NFL’s investigation since receiving the notification and support the league’s findings and actions,” the team said in a statement.

Shaka Toney #58 of the Washington Commanders stands during the national anthem against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Houston, Texas.

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Toney’s suspension is the latest hit for the Commanders. Last week, the district attorney general said the commanders would pay $625,000 to settle allegations that the organization failed to refund fans’ ticket deposits.

Former DC Attorney General Karl Racine, who sued the Commanders last year, claimed that since 1996 the football team had promised to return fans’ deposits for premium seating, but instead pocketed the money and spent it.

A spokesman for Commanders said in a statement the team has not collected bail for more than a decade and has been “actively working to return all remaining bail since 2014.”

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.

Drug firm CEOs to testify earlier than Senate Well being on insulin worth

Pictured here is a Novo Nordisk insulin pen on display on March 14, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

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The top executives of the three drug companies that control 90% of the global insulin market will testify before the Senate Health Committee on May 10 about cutting the prices of their diabetes drugs, the panel’s chairman, Sen. Bernie Sanders, said on Friday.

Those companies — Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi — announced in March that they would slash the prices of their most commonly used insulin products by 70% or more.

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Sanders on Friday called the move an important step forward that was the result of “public outrage and strong grassroots efforts.”

However, the independent Vermonter added that Congress must ensure that insulin, which has increased in price by more than 1,000% since 1996, is affordable for all.

“However, we must ensure that these price cuts take effect in a manner that ensures every American has the insulin they need at an affordable price,” Sanders said in a statement announcing planned testimony from Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks. Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi and Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk.

The companies’ versions of insulin cost at least $275 before the announced price cuts, Sanders noted.

Eli Lilly declined to comment when asked about the scheduled hearing. A Sanofi spokesman said the company supports efforts to cut costs and believes other parts of the healthcare system need to do more to help patients. Novo Nordisk said its CEO looks forward to “a productive and collaborative discussion on this important issue.”

Top executives of the big three pharma benefit managers CVS HealthExpress scripts and Optim Rx also testify, according to Sanders’ office. These executives are David Joyner, President of CVS Health Pharmacy Services; Adam Kautzner, President of Express Scripts; and Heather Cianfrocco, CEO of Optum Rx.

Pharmacy benefit managers are the middlemen who negotiate drug prices with manufacturers on behalf of health insurance companies. PBMs have come under criticism for allegedly inflating drug prices and not passing on all the discounts they negotiate to consumers.

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The Health and Human Services Department estimates that 17% of patients using insulin in 2021 had to ration the drug due to high costs.

According to HHS, about 19% of privately insured insulin users have rationed the drug, and 29% of uninsured insulin users have done so.

The decision by drugmakers to cut insulin prices came a month after President Joe Biden asked Congress to cap insulin prices to $35 a month in his State of the Union address.

Biden’s Inflation Mitigation Act introduced this cap for people on Medicare, the state health insurance program for mostly seniors, but the law didn’t include those with private insurance.

According to HHS, more than 2 million patients with diabetes who take insulin have private insurance.

And about 150,000 patients who take insulin are uninsured, the department says.

On Thursday, two senators, Jeanne Shaheen, DN.H., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, introduced bipartisan legislation that would require private health insurers to raise the price of one of each insulin type and dosage form to $35 a month to limit. The draft law provides for further price reduction measures.

Types of insulin include fast, short, medium, long-acting, and premixed. Dosage forms include vials, pens, and inhalers.

Disney Ron DeSantis’ battle with lobbyists is getting into a brand new part

Disney is preparing to take its fight with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his GOP allies in the state Legislature to the next level, according to people familiar with the matter.

With just weeks until the end of the Florida legislature, Disney is urging lobbyists to step up efforts to sway the Republican-controlled state legislature, including targeting land-use-related bills that could harm the company, it said the people who declined to be named so as to be able to speak freely about the issues.

A Disney spokesman declined to comment on the lobbying.

The battle between the entertainment giant and DeSantis began last year after Disney opposed what critics dubbed “don’t say gay” Florida law, which bans teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools from kindergarten through third grade .

Then, before DeSantis could strip the county where Disney is based of its self-governing status and replace the board that oversaw the area, A Disney-aligned body signed a long-term development agreement that drastically limits the governor’s control. DeSantis said state legislatures are drafting legislation to overturn this agreement.

Republican officials and business leaders have increasingly criticized DeSantis’ volleys against the company. Former President Donald Trump and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — two of Florida’s governor’s potential rivals in 2024 — and even former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein have pushed back on DeSantis over his struggle with the company.

Since DeSantis suggested on Monday that he wanted to develop land near Disney World, possibly by building a prison, Disney announced that “affordable and accessible housing” will open around the park in 2026.

Florida Republican Senator Blaise Ingoglia warned Disney not to fight back as he stood next to DeSantis at a news conference Monday.

“I have a few words for Disney. You will not win this fight. This governor will do it,” said Ingoglia. “One piece of advice for Disney going forward: let it go. Just let it go.”

At the same event, DeSantis vowed to reverse an agreement that would allow the Orlando amusement park to bypass a special county board staffed by DeSantis officials.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis answers questions during a news conference at Seminole State College in Sanford, Fla., Monday, May 16, 2022.

Joe Burbank | Orlando Sentinel | Getty Images

Shortly after DeSantis’ remarks to On Monday, Disney executives urged lobbyists to keep an eye on and aggressively crack down on any proposed legislation in Florida that could harm the company, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. According to DeSantis, there is a particular interest in fighting land use laws, said that person.

This person, who was not authorized to speak publicly about Disney’s plans, told CNBC that one of the land-related bills that Disney lobbyists are closely monitoring is CS/SB 1604: Land Use and Development Regulations. Ingoglia introduced the bill to the Senate and an identical measure was proposed in the House of Representatives.

Both chambers have introduced changes that could affect Disney. The measures would allow a “newly elected or appointed independent specialty governing body,” such as the DeSantis-appointed Disney District governing body, to review all development agreements and have the opportunity to vote on whether that district will re-accept the original development contract.

Both amendments were filed on Tuesday, the day after DeSantis’ press conference where he hammered Disney, according to the state Legislature website.

Disney and CEO Bob Iger don’t appear to be taking the latest moves by DeSantis and his allies lightly.

Friends of Iger say the Disney CEO may be hoping that renewed lobbying against DeSantis and allies, along with critical public perception of the governor’s actions, could dissuade enough Republican officials from siding with the governor. DeSantis effectively controls the state legislature with a GOP supermajority.

“It’s almost like every time DeSantis says these crazy things, DeSantis gets ahead of Bob,” a longtime Iger ally told CNBC. “He feels like Disney is ready for battle, but I think he’s kinda watching the governor try to float his own boat on this one.”

A Disney spokesperson told CNBC that this perception of Iger was “inaccurate.”

Bob Iger, CEO, Disney, during a CNBC interview, February 9, 2023.

Randy Shropshire | CNBC

DeSantis’ potential competitors in a presidential primary have pounced on the controversy to keep it from the Florida governor. Trump, who is running for president, and Christie, another potential 2024 candidate, have both torn DeSantis for his war with Disney.

“Disney’s next step will be to announce that they are no longer investing in Florida because of the governor — they might even announce a slow retreat or sale of certain properties or the whole thing,” Trump said in a Truth Social. post a response to DeSantis’ recent fight with the company, without citing any evidence that the company could take those steps.

Early GOP primary polls show DeSantis as the second-best candidate behind Trump. The ex-president had a massive lead in most recent polls.

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The Disney feud could also cost DeSantis donors. Some Republican mega-donors who were once firmly in DeSantis’ corner for the 2024 GOP have recently called the governor’s allies to say they may not help him run for president, according to a longtime DeSantis ally . Instead, they said they could support another possible nominee in Sen. Tim Scott, RS.C., that person said.

However, there may be a way out of the protracted struggle. Prior to DeSantis’ final attack, Iger had indicated to Time that he was ready to make amends with the governor.

“I don’t see this as a situation where we get on the mattresses. Of course, if the governor of Florida wants to meet with me to discuss all of this, I’d be happy to do so,” he said.

Iger also publicly ripped DeSantis’ treatment of Disney.

Desantis vs. Disney: The war heats up in Florida

Yung Miami Says ‘State of affairs’ With Diddy Ended However They’re ‘Buddies’

Miami’s Danya Issawi said she felt like she had “no privacy” and “can’t even express herself.” However, The Cut’s cover story with the one-part City Girl surfaced two-part mom Caresha Brownlee, including her mindset when she first revealed the Diddy romance.

“I felt like it is what is. Eventually people would find out because he is who he is, I am who I am. We just figured if we release it, we’ll be the ones talking. I don’t like it when someone speaks for me,” YM said.

And she and Diddy definitely got it out! From luxury cars and European yacht vacations to flirting and affirming her “open dating” lifestyle on the premiere of her podcast Caresha Please.

In the Caresha Brother Love era, not much was left to privacy. There have been two online scuffles involving Diddy’s alleged boo Gina Huenh.

RELATED: Four times Diddy Yung wooed Miami from a gifted Maybach to a lavish vacation

Then came the news that almost 14 years after giving birth to twins, Diddy had given birth to a daughter with the late Kim Porter.

Yung Miami and Diddy have broken up but remain friends

What’s up now? Your relationship is over. Miami replied with a “no” when Issawi asked if they were still together. But the City Girl insisted they remain friends.

“We’re still good friends! But we are single. That’s not my husband. We had our own situation, I won’t give it a title. We banged hard together.”

What does she mean by heavy? Kind of like “being together at some point every day,” says Caresha.

“He supported me, I supported him, I’ll let the internet call it what they want to call it.”

From Caresha’s sign for the awards show to Diddy’s reciprocating concert signs and her public appearances at both LIT-uations and community-serving events, their romance inspired waves of social media content and hot topics.

Diddy says Yung Miami is NOT his ‘side chick’, adding ‘I don’t play with my Shawty Wop’

Caresha clears up comments that inspired “Pee Diddy” Online Kii

With ALL THAT came those internet labels that Caresha mentioned. People online have given as many opinions as they have consumed their viral lifestyle choices, including their bedroom activities. You all remember ‘Pee Diddy’!? She talked about that too.

“I never said he was the one I did it with. Sex is a part of life. I’m an adult and maybe I talk about it too much, but everyone has their own personal experience. Some people get pissed off. Some people live life on the edge, some people are fucking boring. I watch a lot of porn, sluts get pissed on. If we’ve grown and we just want to chill around the house and talk about sex, what’s wrong with that?”

What to expect next from Caresha, she promises another City Girls album is on the way but has kept a low profile on a release date. She looks 10 years into the future and tells Danya Issawi that this is not in her plans. She loves to “live in the moment”.

“If I get upset about something, it never happens. But I hope Caresha Please will be like Fenty, I hope City Girls are the greatest fucking artists in the world, and I hope we just succeed.”

We hope so as well. Resha – really bad!

Area Drive chief on a “new period” of threats past Earth

US Space Force Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, testifies on the fiscal year 2024 budget proposal during a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC March 14, 2023. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

When General Chance Saltzman took the stage for his keynote address at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado this week, his message was simple: The United States is in a new era of space activity.

“The threats we face to our in-orbit capabilities from our strategic competitors [have] grown significantly,” said Saltzman, the second-ever chief of space operations for the US Space Force, in a CNBC interview after the speech itself has grown exponentially.”

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“I want to make sure we think differently about our processes and procedures,” he said in an interview for CNBC’s Manifest Space podcast, his first broadcast interview since he was named the service’s senior military official last November.

The message comes at a crucial time as space is rapidly commercializing and a heightened geopolitical backdrop sees increasing threats extending beyond Earth to an area for which rules of engagement remain unclear.

Follow and listen to CNBC’s Manifest Space podcast hosted by Morgan Brennan wherever you get your podcasts.

Military experts say space is likely to be the front line in all future conflicts – a battlefield that could spill over into the private sector and hit civilians in real time. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is just one example: remember the unprecedented cyber attack on the US satellite operator’s European communications network Viasat just as Russian soldiers were mobilized to cross sovereign borders.

Saltzman said the space-based tactics of adversaries such as Russia and China range from GPS constellation communications jamming; to lasers and “shutters” jamming orbiting cameras to prevent image collection; to anti-satellite missiles like those tested by Russia at the end of 2021.

“We’re seeing satellites that can actually grab another satellite, grapple with it, and pull it out of operational orbit. These are all capabilities that they are demonstrating in orbit today, so the mix of these weapons and the pace at which they have been developed is very concerning,” he said.

It speaks to why, despite a wave of fierce debate in 2019, the Space Force emerged vigorously as the first new branch of the US armed forces in seven decades.

To respond more quickly to evolving threats and secure space resources, Saltzman plans to continue expanding the service’s capabilities to make satellite constellations more resilient and acquire more launch services by drawing on an emerging cadre of commercial space players.

Case in point: the Space Force’s recently announced procurement strategy for more launch services. The new “dual-lane acquisition approach” aims to create more opportunities for missile startups to compete for national security launch contracts.

With contracts being awarded over the next year, the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 is estimated to be in the billions of dollars and is expected to attract bids from the likes rocket lab, Relativity Space and Blue Origin by Jeff Bezos. Phase 2 awards went to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin And Boeing.

A growing budget also helps. Though that still represents a fraction of the country’s total defense budget, the Space Force’s request for $30 billion for fiscal 2024 represents a 15% increase from the level passed this year.

“This is a team sport and none of us will succeed alone,” Saltzman said.

Manifest Space, hosted by CNBC’s Morgan Brennan, focuses on the billionaires and minds behind the ever-expanding possibilities beyond our atmosphere. Brennan engages in conversations with the mega-moguls, industry leaders and startups in today’s satellite, space and defense industries. In the Manifest Space, sit back, relax and prepare for launch.

US choose halts discuss most cancers lawsuits in opposition to Johnson & Johnson

In this image illustration, a Johnson and Johnson baby powder container is on display on April 5, 2023 in San Anselmo, California.

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

A federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday halted around 40,000 lawsuits that claimed Johnson&Johnson‘s baby powder and other talc products caused cancer.

The decision is part of J&J’s second attempt to settle thousands of Talk cases in bankruptcy.

J&J spun off its subsidiary LTL Management in 2021 to carry its talk-related liabilities and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Judge Michael Kaplan temporarily stayed the lawsuits, which will last until mid-June, during a hearing Thursday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Trenton, New Jersey, the Wall Street Journal reported.

J&J does not have to go to court over other talc claims during the hiatus, but new lawsuits may still be filed against the company, The Journal reported.

Kaplan said during the hearing that J&J had a “uphill battle” ahead, according to the newspaper.

The hiatus will give J&J time to reach a permanent settlement with plaintiffs in the Talk cases. The company recently proposed an $8.9 million settlement for current and future claims related to Talk and said it expects to take that plan to bankruptcy court in mid-May.

In a statement, J&J called Kaplan’s decision “a victory for plaintiffs” because it brings them “one step closer” to being able to vote on the proposed settlement.

The New Brunswick, NJ-based company also said it believes applicants would overwhelmingly support the proposal.

J&J previously said more than 60,000 applicants have already pledged to vote for the plan.

“We strongly believe that plaintiffs will approve the plan if they are given a clear and full explanation and an opportunity to make an informed decision,” said Erik Haas, J&J’s global vice president of litigation.

Kaplan’s decision is narrower than the one he made after LTL management first filed for Chapter 11 in 2021.

The judge ruled in February 2022 that J&J can use the bankruptcy system to resolve Talk allegations, allowing the company to avoid fighting thousands of individual lawsuits.

Kaplan essentially validated J&J’s use of a strategy known as the “Texas Two-Step,” which allows companies to separate valuable assets from liabilities through what is known as a divisive merger.

But in January, the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit overturned that decision. The appeals court said that neither LTL nor J&J had a legitimate need for bankruptcy protection as they were not in “financial distress”.

Amid ongoing litigation, J&J has continued to deny claims that its talc products cause cancer.

Chief Financial Officer Joseph Wolk said on Tuesday on a earnings call that it was “regrettable” that J&J “has to throw dollars at frankly unsubstantiated scientific claims.”

The lawsuits allege that J&J’s talc products are contaminated with the cancer-causing asbestos that has caused ovarian cancer in thousands of people.

Some lawsuits link multiple deaths to J&J talc products.

Kevin McCarthy is virtually asking Biden and Schumer to barter the debt ceiling with him

Spokesman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) entered the home not to give the details of his debt ceiling but to ask Biden and Schumer to negotiate with him.

Video of McCarthy asking for negotiations:

Kevin McCarthy is on the House floor asking President Biden to notice him pic.twitter.com/ijJ21vNatq

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 19, 2023

McCarthy said, “The American people have elected a divided government, and our government needs to find a compromise. For this reason, the House of Representatives, Senate and White House should be negotiating a responsible increase in the debt limit right now. You know, if you gave your kid a credit card and they keep pushing it to the limit, you wouldn’t just blindly increase the limit.”

McCarthy, who is political with the debt ceiling, accused Biden and Schumer of being political:

McCarthy: President Biden and Senator Schumer have no right to make politics with the debt call. pic.twitter.com/meTClhGsfB

— Acyn (@Acyn) April 19, 2023

Democrats don’t want policy on raising the debt limit, which is why they are refusing to negotiate spending cuts until McCarthy passes a clean debt limit increase.

President Biden responded to McCarthy on Wednesday by noting that the speaker had brought the country to the brink of default and that McCarthy’s plan would harm working people while helping the rich.

Kevin McCarthy is in a bind. If he breaks a clean debt line, the odds that Republicans will try to remove him as Speaker increase. If he fails to pass a clean debt-ceiling raise, Rep. McCarthy will be blamed for a potential default.

Democrats don’t have to negotiate with Kevin McCarthy. The speaker could end this situation today with NY passing a clean debt ceiling hike. The pressure is on House Republicans, and judging by McCarthy’s comments, they are growing desperate.

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House press pool and congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His thesis focused on public policy with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and professional memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association

Pregnant Lindsay Lohan & Bader Shammas seen after child bathe in NYC

Lindsay Lohan And Bader Shamas fly after spending some time in the Big Apple.

The Freaky Friday star, who is pregnant with her first child, was seen at the airport on April 18 with her husband who was flying from New York City. Lindsay – who tied the knot with the Dubai-based banker in July 2022 – kept cozy while traveling in an oversized tan jacket, paired with leggings and trainers.

The couple’s flight comes after they enjoyed a trip to the city. What have they done? As seen in a post reshared on Lindsay’s April 19 Instagram story, the couple spent some quality time with their family at the Waverly Inn for dinner.

In the sweet snap, Lindsay and Bader were joined at a table by Lindsay’s mother In Lohanher brothers Dakota “Cody” Lohan And Mike Lohanher sister Aliana Lohan and Aliana’s friend Nicholas Horn.

Leagues and media type a coalition for accountable sports activities betting

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce makes a catch for a touchdown in the first quarter after defending from Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps during Super Bowl LVII Sunday, February 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona.

Rich Sugg | Kansas City Star | Tribune News Service | Getty Images

The country’s top professional leagues are teaming up with some TV networks to crack down on irresponsible sports betting advertising.

The NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, NASCAR and MLS have joined media companies NBCUniversal and Fox to form The Coalition for Responsible Sports Betting Advertising. The coalition, led by NFL vice president for public policy and government affairs Jonathan Nabavi, aims to regulate sports betting advertising as it floods television, internet and print media.

The move comes as sports betting becomes legal in more states and opponents fear their advertising is targeting minors.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have introduced legal betting markets since a landmark US Supreme Court case in 2018 paved the way for each state to offer legal sports betting.

According to the American Gaming Association, commercial sports betting revenue peaked at $7.5 billion in 2022, up nearly 75% from a record $4.3 billion in 2021.

“As the legalization of sports betting spreads across the country, we believe it is critical to establish guidelines for how sports betting should be promoted to consumers in the United States,” the coalition said in a statement on Wednesday. “Each member of the Coalition feels a responsibility to ensure that sports betting advertising is not only targeted to the appropriate audience, but that the message is carefully crafted and carefully delivered.”

The coalition describes itself as voluntary and said it will work to ensure sports betting advertising only targets adults of legal betting age; does not encourage excessive or irresponsible gambling habits; stays in good taste; and do not deceive.

The group also urges publishers to conduct appropriate internal reviews of ads and investigate consumer complaints.

“Legalized sports betting offers fans another way to engage with their favorite sports,” said David Highhill, general manager of sports betting for the NFL. “But just as we need to support problem gambling prevention and procurement, we also need to be mindful of how sports betting is presented and promoted to consumers, and this coalition should play a huge part in helping that.”

The National Council on Problem Gambling has praised the coalition and pledged to work with it to “better mitigate the harm from problem gambling”.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.

Why US furlough coverage is a lot worse than Europe’s

The United States is the only advanced economy that does not guarantee paid time off.

“You have entire cultures like France … where pretty much everyone takes August off, and it’s just part of the culture there,” said Shawn Fremstad, director of law and political economy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “You don’t really see that here in the US.”

The Working Time Directive of the European Union, passed in the early 1990s, prescribes at least 20 working days of paid vacation in all EU countries.

France requires at least 30 paid vacation days per year. In addition, many European countries also have paid holidays, giving workers there even more paid days off.

“When I came to France, I realized that vacations are a way of life,” said Fatima Cadet-Diaby, an American who has lived in Paris for almost seven years. “People talk about their vacations all the time.”

More vacation time could also lead to macroeconomic gains in the US

“I think people have a stereotype in their mind of France as this kind of lazy culture,” Fremstad said. “But if you look at the employment rate there for prime-age workers, basically 25 to 54, it’s higher than in the US. So you have more people working and they are a lot more productive per hour.”

Although the majority of Americans have some form of paid time off, nearly half of workers say they don’t use those days. About half worry that taking time off could put them behind at work, with nearly 20% believing it could hurt their career development and 16% saying they fear losing their job, according to the Data from the Pew Research Center.

“There is some concern that we don’t have legal protections and people have been fired for taking vacation time,” said John de Graaf, author of Take Back Your Time.

Watch them Video above to learn more about why Americans don’t take vacations when they’re free, and what we can learn from our colleagues in France.