# I pit my company for their hypocrisy **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 26, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756 "2012-01-26T18:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/21 "2012-01-27T12:55:31Z")
Maybe I wasn’t clear on what my point is - apologies for that. I’m not complaining that I personally do not get the holiday off - _I_ never served, so it doesn’t affect me directly - and as **echo6160** pointed out, I do get enough as it is, so I have no dog in this race. In the past, the company took the position that veterans were not important enough to recognize a holiday to honor and show respect to veterans, so they took it away. Now that there is an incentive (even if it is a small token (12k as **tim-n-va** states) the company jumps all over it. Believe me when I say this company will jump over a million dollars to save or grab a nickel, and once **voltaire** pointed the bill out, it became _even more_ apparent to me that it was simply a self-interest thing, not to actually honor veterans, as their email claims, thus the hypocrisy. Again, I understand companies can and will do things for their own self-interest, with employees not seriously part of the equation. Maybe **tim-n-va** is right and I’m making a mountain out of a mole-hill _shrug_. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/22 "2012-01-27T16:32:28Z")
I don’t recall ever working for a company that got Veteran’s day off. Just because it’s a federal holiday doesn’t mean businesses close and work doesn’t need to be done … I certainly wouldn’t pit my current employer for not having it as a company holiday, either. I don’t see how giving everyone a day off supports our armed forces, other than symbolically. Their military leave policy that maintains income levels and guarantees holding jobs open for deployed Guards and reservists (which goes well beyond the minimums required by law) seems a lot more important from my POV. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/23 "2012-01-27T16:52:56Z")
Another one here who has never gotten Veteran’s Day off, or MLK, or President’s. I had a job about a decade ago that gave us Columbus Day off, but I don’t get it anymore. These days I go from New Year’s Day to Memorial Day without a day off (except for weekends), although I can use my own personal or vacation days as I desire. Maybe the board just had a change of heart? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/24 "2012-01-27T17:22:19Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > If they required employees to work on a national holiday, didn’t they have to pay double time (yes, I’m aware that’s a pun, given the subject holiday’s purpose)? That doesn’t strike me as fiscally responsible if they’re requiring everyone in the company to work that day. I don’t think so. Companies are NOT obligated to follow the US national holiday schedule as far as I can tell. My husband’s former employer did not - heck, they only got 6 (I think) paid holidays per year. My current employer does not, and Veteran’s Day and Columbus Day are the two that they do not (though we do have “floating” holidays that we can use for those purposes). I do, however, get the day after Thanksgiving off as a formal holiday; that is NOT a national holiday. Regarding whether there’s an obligation to pay double-time on a holiday, I don’t know. For exempt employees I don’t think so; the one job I had that was hourly _did_ pay extra if you worked on a holiday. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/25 "2012-01-28T05:56:25Z")
Different states have different rules; but there are no national employment rules & standards for holidays. Technically, a company doesn’t need to offer _any_ paid holidays. (But good luck finding people willing to work for you if you don’t offer either paid time off or bonus pay for, say, Christmas.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/26 "2012-01-30T03:55:12Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Still seeing a disconnect with that outfit and the concept of a federal holiday. Jerks. “Federal holiday” means “day that federal employees get off”. Most state and municipal employees get them off, too, but there’s no requirement that private entities offer the same days off. I take it you never worked retail? [QUOTE=Mamma Zappa] Regarding whether there’s an obligation to pay double-time on a holiday, I don’t know. For exempt employees I don’t think so; the one job I had that was hourly _did_ pay extra if you worked on a holiday. [/QUOTE] No such obligation exists in any state I’m aware of. Companies generally do offer time-and-a-half or double time for people working on company-designated holidays, but that’s strictly voluntary. [QUOTE=Sattua] Who the hell gets Veteran’s Day off in the first place? I mean, besides government employees. What the heck? Who gets Veteran’s Day off? [/QUOTE] People who work at law firms, other than associates who want to make partner. If the courts are closed, our offices are closed. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/27 "2012-01-30T04:07:37Z")
Nope. But I did work for a civilian-owned and operated company for a year. The boss paid us double time for federal holidays. Didn’t bother me that I had to work the two I did since I got paid double. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/28 "2012-01-30T04:08:21Z")
Don’t you guys have statutory holidays? I find this surprising. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/29 "2012-01-30T04:15:09Z")
We have holidays established by statute (5 U.S.C. § 6103 and similar state legislation). We don’t have days the government says you have to be off or paid extra for. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/30 "2012-01-30T05:25:50Z")
OP, are they taking a different holiday off the company calendar? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/31 "2012-01-30T08:28:06Z")
My boss, at the time, never got 11/11 off. Didn’t mean he didn’t take it off. Nor did it mean he didn’t take off Yom Kippur. That’s what PTO is for. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/32 "2012-01-30T15:04:01Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > OP, are they taking a different holiday off the company calendar? They are taking back one personal day they gave in lieu of taking away Veterans’ Day three years ago ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/33 "2012-01-30T16:38:29Z")
Every time I read a thread like this, I feel sorry for a lot of people–I’ve quit jobs that didn’t give me enough vacation/personal/sick days. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/34 "2012-02-02T06:17:02Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > We have holidays established by statute (5 U.S.C. § 6103 and similar state legislation). We don’t have days the government says you have to be off or paid extra for. At least not nationally. I think some states have laws requiring private businesses give workers holiday pay for working on some holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/35 "2012-02-02T07:03:59Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > No, because it’s not a company holiday, it is paid straight time. Are you sometimes paid to be straight and other times paid to be gay or bi? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/36 "2012-02-02T14:46:16Z")
Well, another pit thread with “hypocrisy” in the title that fails to show hypocrisy (this one doesn’t even assert it much less make any kind of argument for it). Here’s a little primer: hypocrisy is saying one thing while doing another. So, if someone says “drugs are bad” and does drugs, they are a hypocrite. If they do drugs and then stop doing drugs, they aren’t a hypocrite necessarilý. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/37 "2012-02-02T15:00:13Z")
While this company’s behavior seems a bit two-faced and sleazy, I also fail to see the hypocrisy. > [@Sunspace](#): > > Don’t you guys have statutory holidays? I find this surprising. No, there are _no_ mandated paid holidays in the United States for private employers. None. Zero. Even government contractors whose employees work in a government building alongside government employees who get all the federal holidays aren’t guaranteed federal holidays. It’s up to the private employer whether to give them a paid holiday. So you have situations in which a handful of government contractors show up to work in a largely empty building. Guess how easy it is to get work done when no one else is working! The Smithsonian Institution, which is funded by and administered by the government, is open every day of the year except Dec. 25. That is the sole paid holiday for its employees. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/38 "2012-02-02T15:26:16Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Who the hell gets Veteran’s Day off in the first place? I mean, besides government employees. What the heck? Who gets Veteran’s Day off? There’s a [poll thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=14722070#post14722070) over in IMHO. About 30% of respondents said they get Veteran’s Day off, so it’s far from a universal expectation. I’ve never had it. Would it be nice? Sure. Is your company being hypocritical by not offering it? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/39 "2012-02-02T15:49:31Z")
I once worked for a government contractor which made military equipment. They did not give us Veteran’s Day off. Note that their ONLY client was the US military. Every year, representatives from the client asked why we didn’t have the day off. They seemed to resent that the company didn’t think it was important. To reiterate: our _only client_ **resented** this business practice. I work elsewhere now. Not because I want the holiday _per se_, but because _that company went out of business._ ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756/40 "2012-02-02T16:11:06Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Is your company being hypocritical by not offering it? I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s the (theoretically) hypocritical part. The company pulled Veteran’s Day as a company holiday. No problems. I’ve never gotten the day off, either, and it’s far from universal. But then, the same company decided later to offer it again as a holiday (taking away a personal day at the same time) to “honor” veterans. Of course, this was just in time to market itself to unemployed veterans and also possibly get some tax benefits. Maybe the company can be taken at their word that it’s simply to honor the work of veterans. But it would be mildly hypocritical to decide it wasn’t an important holiday to celebrate one year only to later decide it was important to honor veterans just as “coincidentally” they get a benefit from doing so. Not saying that’s what happened but if it is, it would be hypocritical. It’s like all the “green” campaigns around oil related companies (including the one I work for and the ones we contract for). Recycling and conserving water/energy are important, but the big push from the corporate level didn’t come until some bright mind figured out those things saved millions of dollars every year, too. So, actions that have little to no fiscal impact on us (reduction of packaging, greener electronics, electronics recycling of any kind, encouragement of such practices at employees’ homes, etc) get very little attention. Mildly hypocritical, to be sure, but also understandable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-my-company-for-their-hypocrisy/610756.md?page=3)