Home > There’s no place like work for the holidays
By Stephanie Armour
The economy might be showing signs of perking up, but employers are playing Grinch when it comes to year-end time off.
Employees are getting less paid time off around the holidays than in previous years. With Christmas Day and New Year’s falling on successive Saturdays, 33% of companies plan to give workers three or more paid days off this year. Last year’s figure was almost twice as high, at 65%, according to the BNA.
But it’s not just because of the calendar. During 1999, when Christmas and New Year’s Day last fell on Saturdays, half of employers gave workers three or more paid days off. That means that this year more employees will be working on or around the holiday - adding extra pressure to an already stressed workforce, experts say.
"Employers are being a bit more miserly," says Josh Joseph, BNA’s director of research.
Some employees will be working on Christmas Day. Denny’s will be open on Christmas, which is one of the restaurant’s busiest days of the year. To help workers get time with family, work shifts are typically shortened, a spokeswoman says.
Safeway grocery stores will have more stores open on Christmas than in years past, and employees are being asked to work on a volunteer basis. Those who do generally get double their regular pay or more, depending on union contracts.
But some critics say less time off and work on Christmas is taking a toll on workers.
"This is a major shift in the retail food industry," says Greg Denier with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. "There is no such day as a holiday in America. It’s just another day to make a buck."
At Borel Private Bank & Trust in San Mateo, Calif., the week between Christmas and New Year’s is so busy that employees are rarely allowed time off. But to help alleviate stress, the bank this year gave its employees a "shopping day" - an extra floating holiday they can take in December.
Overall, 33% of workers say they will take no time off over the holidays, according to a survey by Accenture HR Services, a provider of human resources services. Nearly two in three workers have experienced workplace stress around the holidays.
"You want your employees to be productive and happy," says Brenda Dwyer, a manager with Accenture HR Services. "One of the biggest sources of stress is finding time for holiday shopping."
Some companies are going against the trend. Grant Thornton, an accounting and tax firm based in Chicago, is giving employees in its 49 offices the week after Christmas off with pay. That’s in addition to their regular vacation.