With summer fast approaching, many employees are gearing up and planning for their office closures. In most industries, the first holiday to kick off the summer in the workplace is Memorial Day, which typically falls towards the end of May and is a federal holiday. In most cases, employees do receive off for federal holidays, but what about the non-federal days?

Juneteenth, which is around the corner, is an example. Until 2021, some employees were still expected to work on Juneteenth, while others were not. When Juneteenth became a federal holiday, employers were not at first certain whether to give employees a day off or to remain open. Now that it is an official federal holiday, many industries are given the day off.

To some employers, it may seem that there are enough ‘freebies’ and that they shouldn’t give their teams extra days off (unless those days are backed by the government). However, these extra days can have many benefits for both employees and their employers. In this article, we’ll discuss why you should give employees paid time off for non-federal holidays.

Benefits of providing employees with extra days off

In previous articles, we discussed the benefits of offering employees four-day workweeks. When it comes to time off, in any capacity, the benefits are likely to be the same.

• It can improve employee morale and satisfaction, which in turn, tends to increase employee productivity. When employees are happy with their job, it creates a trickle-down effect in their work and the work of their team members.
• It can improve employee mental well-being and reduce burnout. Since the beginning of the pandemic, burnout has been a major issue for both employees and their employers. Allowing employees to take the additional time to relax can help alleviate the stress that causes burnout.
• Employees may already be using their PTO anyway to take off. Many employees use PTO for holidays not given to them by their employer. Typically, this use of PTO is primarily reserved for religious holidays or used in relation to days where friends or family will also be available. In giving these days to your employees without costing them a personal day, they will likely feel appreciative and it isn’t going to hurt your productivity levels (since most employees will choose to be out of the office anyway).

What dates should you consider giving employees paid time off?

At this point, many of us are familiar with the regular federal holidays. So, what are the dates that you should also consider giving your employees off? Below is a list of holidays that you could consider including in your schedule.

As a note, this specific list does not include any religious holidays; however, those celebrating are likely to take those holidays off regardless and it is beneficial to be aware of those dates as well.

• Flag Day (June 14)
• Election Day (date varies)
• World Mental Health Day (October 10)
• Black Friday (Friday after Thanksgiving)
• Employee Appreciation Day (typically in March)

Now, not every non-federal holiday deserves time off. For instance, most of us love National Puppy Day (March 23), but I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to give employees off (although I am willing to be persuaded on this one).

Even though these dates may give you a reason behind offering employees additional time off, your team will also appreciate being given free days off unexpectedly. If you notice your team has been working really hard or you recently ended a busy season, consider giving them a day off to relax and recuperate.

Ultimately, like most things, these dates are up for discussion and at the discretion of the employer. While it can have its benefits, it’s helpful to be mindful of what dates will offer some additional satisfaction to your employees without hurting your clients.

For more helpful human resources articles, continue to check in with BrandResumes’ HR Corner. In the meantime, enjoy your holidays!