A Shoutout To The Companies Giving Their Workers Thanksgiving Day Off
Major retailers have begun to announce their policies for Thanksgiving Day this year. In the past, companies have faced backlash for trying to get a head start on the massive consumer rush of Black Friday by opening their doors on the day that most Americans plan to take off and spend with family. The move doesn’t yield the sales that stores hope for. At the same time, it can put extra pressure on employees who have little say in the matter and may or may not even have guaranteed vacation days they can use to take the day off (out of 21 developed countries, the U.S. is the only one that does not require all workers to have paid vacations and holidays).
There are a number of retailers who are resisting the urge to open early and taking the day as an opportunity to say thanks to their employees. Here is a list of some of these companies, and what they are saying about their choice:
- Costco: “Our employees work especially hard during the holiday season and we simply believe that they deserve the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with their families. Nothing more complicated than that.”
- Patagonia: “It’s a holiday – we’re closed!”
- GameStop: “We believe it’s the right decision not only for our employees, but also for our customers. Enjoy this time with your loved ones and we’ll see you on Black Friday.”
- All TJX stores, including T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and Sierra Trading Post: “We consider ourselves an Associate-friendly Company, and, we are pleased to give our Associates the time to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends.”
- Nordstrom: “We believe in celebrating one holiday at a time. Over the years, our tradition has been to be closed on Thanksgiving and to unveil our holiday trim the following morning.”
- Dillard’s: “We choose to remain closed on Thanksgiving in longstanding tradition of honoring of our customers’ and associates’ time with family.”
Burlington, REI, American Girl will also be closed on Thanksgiving, but did not elaborate on the reasons for staying closed.
Some retailers have announced, however, that they will be opening on Thanksgiving. Nearly one million Walmart workers will have to work on Thanksgiving this year — but this is not a change in the face of increasing competition, as the company has been open on Thanksgiving for 25 years. Macy’s, meanwhile, is cutting their employees’ Thanksgiving holiday short more than it has in the past. Stores will open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving this year; last year, it opened on Thanksgiving for the first time, at 8 p.m.
BOTTOM LINE: Employees are the foundation of any company’s success. Kudos to the companies listed above for recognizing their workers and giving them a chance to spend the holiday with family and friends.
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