Calendar Affords Longer Holiday Breaks

Holly Jolly Workers: Employees will be taking more time off for the holidays than in previous years, partly because both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Tuesdays. That has made it easier for companies to justify giving extended holiday breaks, according to a survey by BNA. About 63 percent of companies are giving their workers at least three paid days off for the holidays this year, compared with 43 percent last year.

Also of note: Two-thirds of firms are sponsoring holiday parties, with most absorbing the full cost. Nearly 30 percent of firms say they will present holiday bonuses to all employees, instead of limiting them to managerial staffers. Manufacturers tend to give the most paid holidays (86 percent), compared with 58 percent for other sectors. Even so, 36 percent of employees across all sectors will work Christmas Day, New Year’s Day or both days, according to BNA’s survey of 210 U.S. human resources executives.