With 2014 just around the corner, now is the time to preview your holiday calendar for next year. While official company (paid) holidays vary from employer to employer, we present the 10 most common in the United States.
January 1, 2014 – New Year’s Day
On a Wednesday so you can add vacation days before or after to extend your new year celebration through the weekend.
January 20, 2014 – Martin Luther King Day
This federal holiday is always on a Monday, with observance varying from state to state.
February 17, 2014 – Presidents’ Day
Even though it is still winter, make use of this Monday holiday as a chance for a three day off-season getaway.
May 26, 2014 – Memorial Day
The start of your summer holiday and always a busy travel day is this Monday in May.
July 4th, 2014 – Independence Day
Luck has the 4th of July falling on a Monday giving you extra time to plan a weekend trip for food, family, and fireworks.
September 1, 2014 – Labor Day
Another three day weekend marking summer’s end and as it is called “labor” day, a day off from work to call your own.
October 13, 2014 – Columbus Day
Hopefully you are fortunate enough to have a holiday on this Monday; otherwise you may be tempted to take a vacation day on Halloween to have at least one day off in October.
November 11, 2014 – Veterans Day
This is the only holiday on a Tuesday in 2014 with most government offices closed in honor of war veterans.
November 27, 2014 – Thanksgiving
Everyone knows turkey day is on a Thursday and if you need the day after to recover from all the eating, your place of work might also give the Friday after Thanksgiving as an additional paid holiday.
December 25, 2014 – Christmas Day
With Christmas on a Thursday this year, utilizing one vacation day on the Friday after is a rewarding way to appreciate the holidays.
Note: Consult with your company portal, intranet, or human resources representative to get the full and accurate list of your holidays for 2014.
A Holiday Is A Vacation Day!
What more can I say! While people in the U.S. certainly have less paid vacation than workers in Europe (legally mandated in the European Union at 4 weeks per year – source: USAToday), you have to remember that holidays count too. So if your company gives you 10 holidays a year in addition to your earned 2, 3, or 4 weeks of paid time off (PTO), you have much more vacation than you think.
The VacationCounts way to a healthy work-life balance is to treat every holiday (paid official company or federal holidays) as a vacation day. Just because holidays are fixed on the calendar does not mean that you cannot turn each one into a fulfilling vacation.
What can you do with a holiday/vacation? How about spending more precious time with family? Why not take a road trip around your region? Do you want to engage in personal enrichment to learn something new or explore your creative side? With a holiday taken like a vacation, you can benefit just as much from this day off from work.
U.S. Holiday Calendar for 2014
Without nationwide standards in the USA, holidays from work are determined by a combination of state law, industry practice, union rules, and employer policy. This means that it is impossible to know when your place of employment is closed without asking for the list.
A recent Society of Human Resources Poll (SHRM) holiday schedules poll showed that only the following 6 holidays were observed by over 95% of workplaces:
- New Year’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Sadly only between 16% and 36% of private sector employers are closed on the U.S. Federal holidays of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, President’s Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran’s Day. The only religious holiday that ranks above 20% observance is Good Friday at 25%. Fortunately 72% of those surveyed reported offering the day after Thanksgiving as a holiday which is a positive sign for work-life balance.
Further Reading
HubPages is a valuable source of articles published by full and part-time writers on every topic imaginable including home, travel, and how-to help. Refer to this recent article by VacationCounts to get the full list of all the U.S. federal, public, and common holidays for 2014. More important, be inspired with more smart ways to turn a holiday into a vacation opportunity.
List of 2014 U.S. Holidays to Take A Free Vacation Day
Holiday Calendar Next Actions
The best way to maximize your paid company holidays is to follow these simple steps. By looking ahead to the full year of public and company holidays, you will be able to plan so many deserved and memorable vacations.
- Mark each of your official company holidays on your online, desk, or wall calendar. Google Calendar is my preference.
- For holidays that fall on a Monday, flag one or two of the three-day weekends to turn into a “regular” vacation.
- Pick one holiday week during the year to schedule four vacation days (or three if you are fortunate), saving one whole vacation day for a week off from work.
- Decide where to allocate your floating holidays (if applicable), on your choice of religious or secular holidays that are meaningful to you.
- Set calendar reminders to reserve flights, hotels, or book holiday rentals well in advance of those busy holiday weekends to avoid disappointment and save money.
Happy New Year from VacationCounts! Make a New Year’s resolution to maximize not just your vacation days but your company holidays too. Cheers to taking more time off…
-Scott
