LUDLOW, Mass. (WWLP) – Labor Day might be a federal holiday, but that doesn’t mean everyone gets to take the day off of work. While millions of workers spent their Labor Day relaxing at the beach, many others were stuck behind a desk at the office.
The holiday is meant to be a day of rest for workers, but over the years that has changed for certain industries and companies.
Margie Laurin of Windsor told 22News that she feels lucky that she gets to take a break on federal holidays. “The people that I know normally have Labor Day off, but it seems to me the people in the retail industry, they never have that time off,” she said.
Retail isn’t the only industry that stays open for the federal holiday. According to Tax and Accounting Center Bloomberg BNA, more than 40% of companies had at least some of their staff come to work last Labor Day.
Even if you’re not physically in the office on holidays like Labor Day, you still may spend a good portion of your day working. Laurin explained that for her, the Internet, cell phones, and email makes it harder to completely disconnect. “I work for a global company, so, I also work for a company out of the Middle East. Their weekends are different from ours, so I’m always tapped into my phone,” she said.
The transformation in work productivity makes some people, like Wayne Walworth of Haverhill, worry that an all work, no play mindset, is becoming far too common in America. “I see a lot more people taking less time off, and I definitely think we work too many hours,” he said.