Employers work with religious holidays

For the last few years, a debate has simmered over whether public institutions and businesses have declared a war on Christmas. Perceived slights to Christmas included retail employees' wishing customers "happy holidays" and local governments erecting "holiday" trees.

But when it comes to paid vacations, Christmas is the holiday that employers designate more than any other religious observance.

Public or private, large or small, the vast majority of employers in metro Atlanta -- as well as across the country -- grant

Dec. 25 as a day off when it falls on a weekday or have a day off on the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

LEITA COWART/Special

John Madut, who is from the Sudan, is a cashier at Publix. He and other employees will have Christmas Day off; it's one of the few days during the year that the supermarkets are closed. Publix tries to accommodate workers' other religious holidays through vacation days or unpaid time off, according to a spokeswoman for the company.

But as Atlanta continues to attract a diverse population, how does an employer accommodate Jewish employees who want time off during Rosh Hashana? Or Muslim employees who want to celebrate the last day of Ramadan?

A small survey of Atlanta-area employers indicates that most businesses offer six to 12 paid holidays a year and give employees the option of swapping out one of less personal importance -- for example, Columbus Day -- for one of more personal significance.

And if the employee doesn't have enough paid holidays to swap, many employers will try to accommodate the worker by granting the day off without pay.

Publix Super Markets are open more days than most retail businesses.

"We're open seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and we only close on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas," said Brenda Reid, media and community relations manager for Publix. "At the retail level, associates can schedule their regular day off to fit the holiday. We try to accommodate, because we hire a diverse group of folks."

Cingular Wireless is recognized as a large Atlanta employer with a commitment to diversity, and its approach is typical of similar companies.

"We recognize the nationally recognized holidays, including New Year's, Christmas and Thanksgiving," said Dawn Benton, senior public relations manager for Cingular. "Employees have a bucket of days to be used as they wish, for sick or personal time or vacation.

"So for the other events and religious holidays, the employee would just use those allotted personal days."

At Georgia State University, the University System of Georgia sets vacation policies. This year that means that, in addition to 12 holidays, the school will close the week of Christmas.

Although Georgia State's vacation calendar mirrors the Christian-leaning one used by private businesses, the school tries to accommodate Jewish, Muslim and Hindu employees who want time off.

"If there's a Jewish holiday, they're usually granted that holiday," said John Allen, assistant director of media relations for Georgia State. "It's up to the department head to grant, and, in the interest of goodwill, it's usually granted."

Public and private employers generally construct paid-vacation calendars around the reality that about 80 percent of people in the United States with a religious affiliation are of a Christian denomination.

Across the country, some school systems in areas with large populations of Jewish or Muslim residents have tried to give days off for holidays of other religions.

But, with dozens of potential religious holidays, the solution many are settling upon is to create floating holidays that people can take according to personal preference.

The same trend seems to be evident in business. The difference is that public school students don't have to worry about potentially giving up a day's pay, as sometimes happens when workers want time off even though they don't have floating vacation days banked.

"If they want to take time off, they can take a vacation day or a day without pay," said Reid, the Publix spokeswoman. "I haven't heard of any problems with our folks getting time off when they want it."

For many businesses and public employers, granting time off during the holidays is a practical nod to the customs of the majority. If most employees would take vacation time on Dec. 25 anyway, it would be hard to run a business that day.

Still, Reid said, Publix is sensitive to the need for some of its employees to take time off for a variety of religious observances.

And that sensitivity is born of pragmatism.

"It's just what we have to do to attract top talent," she said.