Only 37% of employers give off Martin Luther King Day

Only 37 percent of employers give the holiday honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a paid day off, according to a recent national survey.

That is about the same percentage of employers offering Presidents' Day as a holiday, the Bloomberg BNA Holiday Practices Survey of 350 human resource professionals found.

The survey gave a breakdown of which types of employers were likely -- and least likely -- to give MLK Day as a paid holiday:

• 62 percent of non-business establishments, which include government, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, are giving employees a paid day off
• Only 34 percent of non-manufacturing employers are giving a paid holiday
• Only 10 percent of manufacturing companies will give workers the paid holiday
• 45 percent of companies with at least 1,000 employees have made the day a paid holiday
• Only 34 percent of smaller organizations will do so.

So, what does the giving of MLK Day as a paid holiday say about your company’s character?

In light of today’s issues, it is surprising that many employers choose not to acknowledge Dr. King’s contribution to the dialogue of diversity and inclusion in our country. It took almost 20 years for all 50 states to observe the federal holiday. Yet, today there are still 63 percent of US companies that refuse to celebrate his work.

The climate of the 1960s bears an unfortunate resemblance to the current state of our country in 2017. With divisiveness on both sides, we are dealing with issues of political and urban unrest, race baiting and gun legislation. We live in a polarized nation of red state vs. blue state, gay vs. straight, black vs. white and the haves vs. the have nots.

The reason we honor Martin Luther King is that when confronted with the same problems in the 1960s, he chose to respond to these issues not with a closed fist of aggression or a closed mind of hatred, but an open hand of love and an open mind of understanding.

Yet, today, despite all the talk of multiculturalism and inclusiveness in the workforce and the hundreds of millions of dollars that are spent every year on diversity programs and training, if your organization refuses to observe a holiday that acknowledges the man who, in no small part, inspired your internal policies of diversity and inclusion, then diversity is obviously not a priority at your company. It could be considered business as usual at best or passive racism at worst.

By not recognizing the holiday, companies are not only sending a message that their diversity programs are just talk without substance, but they are also missing an opportunity to practice what Martin Luther King taught, to do acts of goodwill and kindness to others. Some enlightened companies such as Comcast, AT&T and others, in addition to giving their employees the day off, also encourage their staff to use the day to volunteer at their favorite charities or for a good cause.

Dr. King once said, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

So, whether or not you have the day off from work, by volunteering and giving back to better your community or to help those in need, you will be honoring the true spirit of what Martin Luther King stood for and the day we celebrate his legacy.