It's no wonder that big box stores spark so much controversy by making employees work on Thanksgiving.
A recent survey shows that there are likely few others who work on Turkey Day besides those tasked with preparing and enduring Black Friday.
The poll of 385 HR professionals from a randomly-selected group of employers, conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, found that 94 percent of firms take off Thanksgiving. A survey last year found that three-quarters of employers that do make employees come in offer them some type of special compensation in return.
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Similarly, 95 percent of employers plan to close on Christmas this year. But among businesses that are typically open on Sundays, 20 percent plan to be open Christmas Day, 2016, which will take place on a Sunday.
New Year's Day, Memorial Day and the 4th of July will be observed by 93 percent of businesses in 2016. And just behind, Labor Day will be a day off for workers next year at 92 percent of firms surveyed.
The big drop off comes for the Friday after Thanksgiving, which only 71 percent of companies close for.
Relatively few businesses allow employees to "swap" holidays. Only 15 percent of employers say that their full-time workers can choose to work a paid company holiday in exchange for a day off on a holiday that the company doesn't observe.
Evren Essen, survey director for SHRM, suggested that more companies should think about providing workers more holiday options.
"Some companies may offer employees the option to swap holidays as a way to accommodate those who may have different religious or personal needs. It also helps promote workplace diversity and a culture of inclusion," said Evren Esen, director of survey programs for SHRM. "For example, a Jewish employee may wish to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in order to take off during Rosh Hashana, a rarely offered paid holiday."
On average, employers offer nine paid holidays, according to research conducted by SHRM last year.
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