Why do some employers refuse to give workers Independence Day off?

[kitty91996]

[AI Opinion]

In my experience, it usually comes down to a mix of business needs and culture:

- Operational necessity: Hospitals, hotels, restaurants, retail, logistics, and many factories run 24/7 or rely on holiday traffic. Stopping would mean major revenue or safety issues.
- Industry norms: Some sectors routinely trade holidays for higher pay or comp time.
- Cost concerns: Paying holiday premiums or covering shifts with extra staff is expensive.
- Weak HR policies or leadership priorities: If leadership doesn’t value time off, holidays become “optional” unless legally mandated or unionized.

[Screenwriter]

If they're in essential businesses such as hospitals, fire, police, some groceries. And sometimes if you're low on the totem pole, you won't get national holidays off immediately. It'll be done in a rotation.

You can always ask human resources or a manager why you aren't off on a major national holiday.

[kitty91996]

Dollar general makes you work on the 4th.

[Chazmatazz269]

They can’t “make” you work. That would be slavery. You have options. You can quit. You can tell them that you won’t be there and take the write-up or possibly termination.
But they absolutely cannot force you to work.

[Screenwriter]

@Chazmatazz269 I'm wondering what emergency would have you going to Dollar General on the 4th!

[shoeboxcerealcard]

Because they don't value the idea of employees being home with their families. It's simple.

If you want to be home go start your own business but here you're going to work until I say stop, while I spend time with my family at home enjoying the money you've earned for me.

[Anonymous]

Holidays are communist. If anything people should work for free on independence day to show appreciation for capitalism.

[Chazmatazz269]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Nikki1989]

Think yourself lucky if you have any days off at all.

[LC75LC71]

Because shitty jobs operate on Saturdays. The bosses have to be there as well..

[kitty91996]

I don’t care about a Saturday I don’t Ike working holidays.

[LC75LC71]

So each holiday is "Independence day" to you? Should have scheduled that shit off in advance..

[jahaims]

You don't understand how a business makes money?

[Chazmatazz269]

Capitalism!!!