Working the Holiday Offers the Big Bang Of Overtime Pay
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Hello, three-day weekend!
I'm off today, so that means I'm probably still sleeping and dreaming of bacon doughnut burgers (Yep, still obsessed) while you read this. And you might be working.
I'm so sorry. Or am I?
It's true that working on a holiday means that you aren't grilling food right now or watching fireworks. But you are also likely to be compensated for your misery.
According to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets standards for minimum wage and overtime pay, companies are not required to pay you on days you don't work, even if it is a holiday. The federal government pays its employees on these days anyway, and many companies follow suit. So you don't lose out for celebrating our nation's independence.
But if you do work on a holiday, it can be lucrative. The federal government essentially doubles your wages. At The Post, some of us receive 1.5 times our normal hourly pay.
The extra money definitely comes in handy during tough economic times. And while you're at work making money, you're not out spending it. A news report from Ireland said nearly three-quarters of workers there abandoned vacation plans in favor of working through the summer.
The promise of extra pay usually isn't enough to get me to come in on a holiday, but the recession may make me change my mind. What do you think: Is working on a holiday worth it? Let me know at muiy@washpost.comor on Twitter at @ylanmui.
I can't promise that I'll respond until I'm back at work.
-- Ylan Q. Mui,
