Missouri says ‘Black Friday’ not a holiday

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

For the second year in a row, the day after Thanksgiving is just another work day for Missouri government employees.

Scott Holste, Gov. Jay Nixon’s spokesman, said the Office of Administration told state agencies Monday that all state offices will be open Nov. 25.

The agencies are to “practice normal leave policies, as they did last year,” Holste said.

That means employees who want the day off must ask, and be approved, for a vacation day.

Over the years, many state employees have come to expect that day as a holiday, even though it is not part of the state law authorizing days when state government is closed — because governors of both parties issued executive orders declaring that Friday as an extra day off.

Read additional details in our newspaper or e-Edition. Newspaper subscribers: Click on an e-Edition article and log in using your current account information at no extra charge. For e-edition help, e-mail circ@newstribune.com. Click here to purchase the full version of archived articles.

More like this story

Gotigers 1 year, 6 months ago

So Nixon can fly all over the state on a daily basis and the Legislature can have a special session and completely get nothing accomplished at a cost of over $500K, But the average, middle class person cannot get the day after Thanksgiving off to enjoy with his or her family?

Democrat or Republican- doesn't matter--vote them all out next November.

GiveMeAbreak 1 year, 6 months ago

"Waaaa...I have a cushy State job and I can't get an extra holiday off... BooHoo I'm so oppressed."

Give me a break. Who else get's as many "holidays" as a State worker? No one else gets Columbus Day off or Labor Day. As a matter of fact, there are a whole bunch of us who don't even get Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day off. So shut up with all the complaining. No one outside government is sympathetic to you.

asb 1 year, 6 months ago

Most people DO get Labor day off. Most people get paid more than state workers. Most people get Thanksgiving and Christmas off. Beans you are full of. No complaints from state workers here as far as I can read. Troll much? Waaa yourself.

muleman 1 year, 6 months ago

Holidays do not put any beans on the table

spelchek 1 year, 6 months ago

Keep in mind it wasn't state workers who legislated the holidays. Blame the powers that be.

JMO 1 year, 6 months ago

I don't see a single state worker complaining here about the day not being given. I see people wanting the Governor to hold to the same standard he expects all the workers to, which is certainly reasonable.

It never fails, as soon as a story about the state workers pop up, someone comes on to attack them without provocation. You know, that's about the only thing most state workers really complain about - being berated and treated like ca ca for no good reason.

Gabrielle 1 year, 6 months ago

It just occurred to me: How many businesses do this - give everyone the day off? I am guessing if employees want the day off - they take a vacation day. Why do we view the state's employees differently? It is actually quite an expense to give EVERY state employee the day off with pay. What is different about this situation?

asb 1 year, 6 months ago

Businesses doing Black Friday sales don't give anybody a day off. Businesses doing routine comerce often shut down on Friday. Others give leave as you point out. Two days off is just what was done, and the griping about losing Friday is very limited. Most gripes center on the loss of Friday as being part of a pattern of cutting salery, layoffs, and generally poor treatment of state workers - in their eyes. The only legitimate gripe that survives is that Missouri, with a middle income compared to the rest of the US, pays at the very bottom. That is penny wise and pound foolish if there ever were such. You DO get what you pay for and Missouri is hurting its public by underpaying service staff. I've seen the difference is overall service to my business since the early 90's.

evenkeel 1 year, 6 months ago

Petunia, you got it. State workers can take a day off. Not much of an issue. I do not think state employees are complaining about it.

However, liberals, with their hair-trigger sensivitiies, must rise to the defense of the downtrodden, no matter if the downtrodden must be manufactured to supply fuel for liberal righteousness.

tigger2118c 1 year, 6 months ago

How did liberals get blamed? Why do people blame these "liberals" for everything? Just curious.

tigger2118c 1 year, 6 months ago

Lol state workers are required to work on a non holiday or take a vacation. Has to be the liberals!!

Gabrielle 1 year, 6 months ago

Life sucks because 'Black Friday' isn't given as a paid day off and not a vacation day? Sounds like a bit of a stretch to me.

Gabrielle 1 year, 6 months ago

Hey - there was a post here that I responded to. It said something like: 'Just because your life sucks so should everyones" - something like that.....did someone discover their 'slip was showing'????

JMO 1 year, 6 months ago

Again, as evenkeel said, the vast majority of state workers I know are not complaining about it for that reason. Lots of people are just taking a vacation day. Those who don't want to are working. The cost to the state for the basic 9 to 5 employees is the same, more or less. I suppose they end up with one more paid vacation day...but a lot of folk carry enough vacation that the state isn't paying it out on an annual basis. The savings to the state is because those workers who HAVE to work it, corrections officers, highway patrol, etc., don't get time and a half (comp time actually) for a holiday. That's about it.

The only real complaint I've ever heard is that it's just kind of a slap in the face after no raises, higher premiums, so many people being fired, etc., etc. We state workers have always known the day after Thanksgiving was just a perk. It was a pat on the back. And after all the cuts having it stopped was kind of insulting. But no one's really surprised.

Gabrielle 1 year, 6 months ago

I conclude people enjoy their work b/c they are not taking their vacation days....or maybe a wise decision - for a rainy day? Most if not all state workers I worked with seemed as though they enjoyed their work/job.

What does 'the savings to the state is because those workers who HAVE to work it..." mean?

JMO 1 year, 6 months ago

CO's and HWY patrol, some P&P offices, basically your "essential" employees who don't get holidays off, ever, unless they take vacation, get time and a half on what everyone else would have off (Chirstmas, Thanksgiving, etc.) I can only speak to corrections, since my husband has worked in corrections for close to 20 years - but they didn't actually pay you, they gave you extra "comp time" which they then got to cash in later or take in lieu of vacation. Now those employees don't get that, which is where the real savings to the state comes in.

A lot of people work it to save the vacation for something they have planned. Some are taking the long weekend. I enjoy my work, but I'm taking the day off. I like my family more. :) And you WON'T catch me shopping.

Gabrielle 1 year, 6 months ago

Would require several more questions to get a clear picture of the situation corrections officers are in. Having said that, I have thought for a loooooonng time - they are very much underpaid. Add to that what you are talking about. If any state worker deserves a pay increase it is DEFINATELY correction officers! Something definately needs to be done about that!

JCLifer 1 year, 6 months ago

Quit calling it "Black Friday". It is the "day after Thanksgiving"-- a time to be with your families.

Gabrielle 1 year, 6 months ago

Are you saying not to call it 'Black Friday' because that name refers to the big shopping day and in your opinion people aught to spend the day with their families?... and to call it 'day after Thanksgiving' describes that better?

3bunnies 1 year, 6 months ago

Not sure but "Black Friday" in my eyes, seems to describe a swarm of people flocking to stores for sale items...

Not me though.... Did that 1 time.... and it was not fun.. rude, pushy people everywhere.

tigger2118c 1 year, 6 months ago

"black friday" is probably a bit too racy for a "jclifer". Oh did you hear we have adult stores and tattoo parlors in town! The devil is already here!!!!

asb 1 year, 6 months ago

If you've ever gone to Wally World on what's normally a quiet early Friday morning to beat the crowds, and found the insane mobs that blossom the Day After Thanksgiving, it's Black Friday. It's a dumb name. What's black about it? The Day After Thanksgiving is too long and has all the retail pop of a wart removal.

JMO 1 year, 6 months ago

The "black" refers to the economics of it. The stores ledgers are "in the black". As opposed to "in the red". Get it?

It's a stupid name.

JMO 1 year, 6 months ago

Just because it makes sense, doesn't mean it isn't a stupid name.

JMO 1 year, 6 months ago

You live to be argumentative, don't you? I could name a dog "Mutt" and have it make sense, but in my opinion, it's still a stupid name.

tigger2118c 1 year, 6 months ago

I love it! Good call Jay! Most of us have to take it as a holiday if we want off, no reason we all shouldn't.

asdf 6 months, 2 weeks ago

Good for all the state employees that are potential contributers to the economy. As for the naysayers that always want to accuse state workers of any number of issues, including this one. There are people, relatives, even themselves, that tried to become a state worker, or someone of their family. Isn't that strange that they have such a bad opinion, yet it is different when they themselves have a different attitude when employed by the state. Yes, good for all.

Please review our Policies and Procedures before registering or commenting

Or login with:

OpenID

News Tribune