All of the news about our economy and the job market was beginning to depress me a little. So I started to think about what all workers think about: a holiday. With our national observance of Independence Day on July 4, many workers will have a paid holiday tomorrow (Friday).  

Here in the U.S., July 4 is one of 11 federal holidays. (For a complete list of all federal holidays, click here.) On these days, many government offices are closed. Banks and other major institutions are generally closed on these days as well.  

From the perspective of the employee, the best time of year for those widely observed holidays is in the fall. There is a holiday every month from September to December, with two landing in November (Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.) Late winter and spring is the paid holiday “desert”, with several months between the February observance of Presidents Day and Memorial Day, which falls on the last weekend in May.

The holidays that are observed (and paid for) by employers can vary widely depending on the industry and market segment. Many corporations have, for example, given employees the Friday after Thanksgiving off so that workers have a full four-day weekend. Of course, the exact opposite applies to retail workers; the Friday after Thanksgiving is “Black Friday” and can be the busiest and most lucrative day of the year with retailers kicking off the holiday shopping season.

Even if a company has a general policy of providing a paid holiday, some departments are exceptions to the rule and often have to work through those days, particularly if the holiday lands at the end of a quarter, fiscal year or calendar year. The IT crew may still have to monitor systems, while accounting and tax teams may have numbers to crunch that won’t wait for the next workday.

Most companies use the federal holiday calendar as a template, and offer their employees some or all of the designated days. And various companies may include additional holidays that observe local customs, cultural events or religious observances of their owners or employees.

Some companies offer more specific paid holidays that range from the unique to unusual. One company had an executive board made up of hunting aficionados, and the company designated several paid holidays that coincided with the start of hunting season.

Many companies offer paid holiday time that allows for flexibility and underscores the company attitude towards work/life balance. One marketing firm has “patio passes” as part of its paid time offerings. Employees can choose two Fridays during the summer to leave early with no prior notice.

Clearly, holidays are an important part of maintaining employee motivation and morale. However, there are no “national holidays” that are mandated by law. Congress can only create and implement holidays for federal institutions. (Can you name the most recently created holiday?) Most private employers will observe at least some of the days we discussed above. But compared to many European countries, the U.S. does not guarantee workers even a single holiday.

Whether you are at work this weekend or not, have a great Independence Day!

What holidays have you had to work? Does your company observe any unusual holidays? We’d like to know!