Bad news: You probably don’t have MLK Day off
By Jane Burnett
If you work at a business in America, you most likely don’t have Martin Luther King Jr. Day off on Monday, January 15.
Research sponsored by Bloomberg Law found that in 2018, out of 387 employers surveyed, just 42% of them say they will give “all or most” workers a paid day off for the holiday, versus 56% who won’t.
This year’s findings are similar to those in 2017, which found that 43% of companies were giving their workers paid leisure time off on that day. Roughly a quarter of employers hold commemorative events related to the holiday.
Workers in these sectors are most likely to have a paid day off
In 2018, only 16% of manufacturing companies surveyed said they will provide “all or most” workers with a paid day off, compared to 34% of non-manufacturing companies.
The employers most likely to offer paid time off for the holiday are overwhelmingly “non-business organizations.” Seventy-two percent of these employers — which include healthcare organizations, government, and educational institutions — get paid time off.
How the observance of this holiday has changed over time
The 2017 Bloomberg data show an increase in the percentage of employers giving the holiday off in recent years: 43% in 2017; 37% in both 2016 and 2015; 35% in 2014, and 32% in 2013.
You may not have Martin Luther King Jr. Day off in 2018 if you work in corporate America. But perhaps you will next year.
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Bad News: You Probably Don’t Have Martin Luther King Jr. Day Off was originally published on Ladders, a publication dedicated to breaking news, opinion, analysis, and career advice at the cutting edge of our changing workplace. Sign up for our daily newsletter.
