Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s a national holiday in America. Some schools are closed. Some businesses are closed. We don’t get mail.
When I worked in Human Resources, some people were ambivalent about the holiday.
- We just came back to work from the December holidays. I don’t need the day off. I want a day off in August.
- This isn’t a real holiday. Can I come to work?
- Our competitors are in the office and they’re working. Why do I get the day off?
I’m hardly amazed when people complain, and none of this surprised me. The holiday has a rough history, and many companies treat the holiday like Presidents Day. The meaning of the day is lost in the course of doing business.
I told my former employees that I’m not a mom. I’m not the HR police. They could do whatever they want on a paid day off — including catching up on work, projects, or office gossip. I really didn’t care. Then I took the opporutnity to clarify some misconceptions.
- If anyone is confused about whether or not MLK Jr Day is a real holiday, check with the federal government.
- Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is often called a day of service. That’s more than you can say about Columbus Day.
- You could do worse than spend a day thinking about a man who was assassinated while marching for sanitation workers’ rights.
People find a reason to complain about everything — including a paid day off work.
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People are going to complain regardless. When i was blessed with the day off, I usually organized some sort of service project and invited my co-workers to join me. One company I worked for paid us in full for the day if we spent 4 hours of the day in service.
I thought that was #GreatHR from the top. The owner knew what volunteering can do for morale of employees.
Thanks for the post this morning – we need to remember what this day is about, regardless of political leanings.
{Warning: A mini-rant follows.}
Half the time I don’t think people understand WHY we celebrate the holidays we do anyway so I guess this should not be a huge surprise to me. July 4th? Memorial Day? Labor Day? Um, yeah we do not get holidays just to go to the lake, eat burgers, and drink. I mean, it’s a perk, don’t get me wrong, but that’s not WHY we get them.
Although I have to admit, anyone who complains about a paid day off can trade with me sometime. I will gladly take whichever ones they do not want. It’s like redistributing the wealth, only with paid days off.
what’s even worse is those organizations that don’t even allow people to take it off as a paid holiday…let alone do anything of substance to ackowledge, recognize, or honor MLK. I’m sad to say we’re not doing anything formal today…and i’m kind of pissed at myself for not having thought about it earlier. maybe it’s not to late…will report back…
I would like to see all companies recognize this federal holiday. It is a shame that our country deems it important enough to be a holiday but many businesses don’t. Today is just like any other day at my company.
I think the Day of Service aspect should be promoted more. I heard more about it this year than in prior years on the news this morning.
I’ve worked with some companies who don’t recognize MLK Day because, and I quote “That’s thier problem”, meaning African Americans fight for equality, etc. And I think there’s definitely a racist overtone to the fact that the Federal Government doesn’t push for this “holiday” to be taken seriously– like a President’s Day or Memorial Day.
Actually Matt, the Federal Government closes all its offices on MLK Day as they do for President’s Day and Memorial Day. I don’t believe there are any “racial overtones” there. I, for one, don’t want the government to start telling private companies when they should and should not work. They have their hands full as it is.
I do, however, acknowledge the “that’s their problem” mentality is racist as well as disgusting and ill-informed What makes MLK Day any less a holiday than Columbus Day? Some say that old Chris was more of a villain than a hero and didn’t have anything to do with discovering America.
As KellyO said, half the time we don’t even know why we celebrate a holiday and Columbus Day is a good example.
I believe that all companies “should” recognize MLK Day as a holiday for the right reasons. It would also be nice if all the employees enjoying that day off understood why they are celebrating it as a holiday.
Wow, had no idea of the ‘rough history’ of this holiday; thanks for including that wiki link, Laurie! I agree with the idea of having firms recognize it more and possibly encouraging employees to do something meaningful on/around the day.
And who complains about having to take a work holiday??? NOT me. ‘Cause that’s just crazy talk.
@Tammy I like getting paid 8 hours for volunteering four hours. That sounds perfect.
@KellyO The people who complained about MLK day were the same people who complained about the war against Christmas. Complainers. I can’t tell you how many times I said, “I’m not discussing the holiday schedule with you anymore. This is over.”
@Charlie There’s always next year.
@GingerG At Pfizer, all sites had MLK Day off but only certain sites had President’s Day off. That was weird. At Kemper, we had neither day off. Before that, I can’t remember but I’m going to guess it was neither. I love the idea of PTO, take the days off you want to take, etc., but I think MLK day is a good day to send a message about what’s important.
@MattyMat I’m just glad I saw President Obama and his family out doing some good stuff, today. Raises awareness of the holiday.
@Fran You know, part of me doesn’t care if people understand the holiday. I just want them to shut up about it, because really, they DO understand the holiday and the complaints seem suspect in my mind. I had one woman say that the federal government shouldn’t be in the business of telling states what holidays to recognize — and yet, this is the woman who thinks that everyone should know that Jesus is the reason for the Christmas season and that Bill O’Reilly is right. So I dunno. The whole thing is a mess, but hey, we’re post-racial in America now that Obama is president.
@Geekette I’m especially intrigued by McCain’s role in all of that mess…
Today is an UNPAID day off for me. My employer is closed, and as a part time employee, I get no payment for days off. I am not complaining. I am glad that my employer recognizes the value of the great man and the movement that he generated whom we celebrate on this day.
I think that borders shamefulness to have a holiday related to the late Dr. King. While I recognize his efforts, his fervor and his “dream, I do not recognize him as a person of “holiday status”. No other individual outisde of a US President is honored as a holiday, so why him? Mother Theresa served more persons of affliction and oppression that MLK. What about St. Patrick? In spite of all of his efforts and all that he accomplished, this holiday promotes inequality. http://voodoomanager.com/workplace-non-conformist
High Priest
http://voodoomanager.com/
Holidays are always celebrated by going to beach, lakes and having a fun time with families. And don’t know what it really meant. This holiday should be celebrated by recognizing his efforts to fight for your rights. I know some of you celebrate it how should it be celebrated. Most companies doesn’t allow their people to have paid holidays, and that’s worse.
High Priest, I see your point, but by that reasoning Bill and Melinda Gates should get one too. Mother Teresa was about providing relief from poverty, and that’s A Good Thing (tho I’m not so struck on the “spreading the word of God” thing). But MLK day is not just about a life of service. It’s also about the struggle for civil rights, equality for all people, the fight to right a very pernicious and abiding historical wrong, freedom from a specific form of oppression, and more. It’s not just about doing good, but about spreading an idea in a way that it hadn’t been spread before. That idea had wings and the shape of American history is very different (and still changing) as a result. And MLK – his life AND death – was the catalyst and vector for its glorious spread. And that’s what’s being celebrated (in theory, at least).
Besides, Mother Teresa was Albanian, so I kind of doubt that she’d qualify for a US holiday.