I've worked for companies before where you have a floating holiday each year -- one day that you can take off as an extra day off whenever you want to. I always used the day either on a Monday or a Friday to make for a long weekend or to tack onto an already long weekend or vacation to make them longer. But it appears that many people have a different idea for a floating holiday. This from Money Magazine's April issue:
46% of workers say their top choice for an office holiday is their own birthday.
I'm not a big birthday celebrator (I love to celebrate my kids' birthdays, but not so much my own), so I don't see the appeal in this.
What about you? What day would you (or do you) select as a floating holiday?
Lately, I'd have to go with the first Friday of March Madness. Everyone in the office takes the day off and meets at a nearby bar to watch the games during work hours.
Posted by: MB_VA | March 26, 2008 at 12:25 PM
I like taking off on my birthday and just relaxing. My birthday is right around President's Day, so sometimes I'll take off that Monday instead of my actual birthday to make it a long weekend (and because school and daycare is usually closed that day anyway).
Posted by: Finance Girl | March 26, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Floating holiday?? Teaching on a nine month contract doesn't really allow for it, but I don't have to go to the office on most Friday's so I think that's even better! ;)
Posted by: Beth | March 26, 2008 at 12:36 PM
My brother's office, they do get their birthday off if they want, as well as an extra week's vacation the year they get married. This is in addition to the 28 days standard vacation and flexitime.
Oh to live back in Ireland again ...
Posted by: guinness416 | March 26, 2008 at 12:59 PM
While my company does not have floating holidays, I do enjoy taking the day off for my birthday. It is an important day to me and I get to do what I want and enjoy!
Posted by: Frugal pursuit | March 26, 2008 at 01:09 PM
My birthday falls near MLK Jr. Day, so I usually take that off if my work doesn't consider it a holiday.
I grew up always getting that day off from school, quickly came to think of it as "my birthday holiday", and it's nice that I can continue that tradition at work. It's also a nice change of pace from the holidays (Christmas, New Year's, etc.) that come before it, which are full of planning, cleaning, running around, seeing family, and almost no time to relax.
Posted by: Anitra | March 26, 2008 at 01:20 PM
My company's "floating holidays" are lumped into a pool combining them with vacation and miniscule amounts of sick and personal leave--so in the end, it's all coming from the same place if you're off from work for whatever reason.
With two kids staying home sick occasionally as kids do, and other stuff popping up here and there, I've always needed to access this pool for unanticipated personal and family needs and usually wind up overdrawing it (i.e. taking unpaid leave).
But if I were to have the ability to choose a floating holiday, it would be opening day of baseball season. For five years (when single), I took a vacation day to attend the home opener as my old company didn't have floaters. But the day definitely had this magical, holiday atmosphere to me.
Posted by: MelMoitzen | March 26, 2008 at 01:23 PM
This is the first year that I get floating holidays, before this I was on a 10-month schedule that followed most of the school holidays.
I get two this year...so I'm thinking of taking them either at Christmas time to extend my holiday out or in April/May when I graduate so I don't have to use my vacation time for the extra time I need to spend up there for final presenations.
Posted by: Jo | March 26, 2008 at 01:26 PM
As a sahm (stay at home mom), we have no such things as floating holidays. We have no such things as vacation days, either, or sick days, or...you get the point.
I do remember the days in the corporate world where we had a floating holiday. When the 4th of July or Christmas was on a Tuesday or Thursday, it was supposed to give you the ability to take the day the Monday or Friday off to extend your weekend. Didn't work when I first started being at the bottom of the totem pole. But, it was sure nice once I worked my way up.
My birthday is the day after Christmas. I don't think I ever had to work on my birthday (before kids), and definitely never had school. So, I would always opt to use my floating holiday during Spring or Summer.
My husband's former company made certain holidays (like MLK day) a "floating holiday". They got to take an extra day off the week immediately preceding or following the holiday. That was nice.
Posted by: SAHM | March 26, 2008 at 01:55 PM
The day after the Super Bowl. That Sunday is usually filled with lots of eating and drinking, and it's nice to have the next day off to recover.
Posted by: Cleophus | March 26, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Fun question! I usually take my floating holidays on days before or after a 3-day weekend (typically Memorial Day weekend - I love having the extra day to celebrate the beginning of summer!).
Posted by: Heidi | March 26, 2008 at 02:26 PM
I prefer to take my birthday at work, thank-you! That way there is definitely cake involved. I much prefer to take a floating holiday in conjunction with a day like Independence day, if it falls in the middle of the week.
Posted by: CommOddity.us | March 26, 2008 at 02:50 PM
I do a combination long weekend/birthday. We get two floating holidays a year and I take one the Monday or Friday around my birthday and one the Monday or Friday around my son's birthday. That way, we can go out of town or whatever for a long w/e.
Posted by: Jane | March 26, 2008 at 03:24 PM
That is so funny! I always use my floating holiday for my birthday but I didn't realize that so many others did the same.
Posted by: Pat | March 26, 2008 at 04:00 PM
I always take my floater as my first vacation day a year as we can roll over vacation but not the floating holiday
Posted by: VW | March 26, 2008 at 05:40 PM
We don't have a floating holiday, but we do get 208 hours of vacation time (5 weeks and a day) per year I usually plan my leave around 3 day weekends, vacations, and holidays.
Posted by: Ryan S | March 26, 2008 at 07:30 PM
We get 2 personal holidays and I always take my birthday off for one of them. I usually take it as a spa day to relax. The second day I use to make a long holiday weekend.
Posted by: Sherthebear | March 26, 2008 at 07:55 PM
I get nine holidays and three floating holidays on top of two weeks of vacation time. I take the floaters whenever I feel like having a day off (which is rare since I enjoy my job, and with our Flex time policy I take off mornings and work late several times).
Most people I work with take the three floaters the week between Christmas and New Years Day to maximize the time off.
Posted by: Adam | March 26, 2008 at 10:16 PM
We get PTO which lumps our sick leave and the 5 major holidays into one lump some....I am spoiled - starting vacation time is at LEAST 5 weeks a year, and each year you are there it increases....with that said, when I take my time off I shoot for any Friday because I work four 10-hour days...Thursdays are my day off, so I can make a 4 day weekend easily....as for the one day off I love to have, I don't work my birthday. Not because I love celebrating my bday, but it is one day I don't feel guilty explaining to others that I just want to sleep in, workout in the middle of the day, and just hangout at home and relax.
Posted by: Erika | March 26, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Wedding anniversary. Hands down.
Posted by: JK | March 26, 2008 at 11:53 PM
I am taking the Friday before Memorial day off to make it a long 4 day weekend.
Posted by: Tom @ Now My Money Is Mine | March 27, 2008 at 05:24 AM
I work in a tax office and instead of PResident's Day (during busy season) we get a floating holiday instead.
I always use it for a 3-day weekend in May. To recover!!!!! But it's nice.
I have been known to take a birthday or an anniversary off, just to do something different. Kind of like playing hookie I guess. (Though I use a vacation day for those). Some of my best memories are taking a weekday off and going on an adventure. So, no, not a big birthday celebrator either, but it is a fun excuse to mix it up a little.
Posted by: Alexandria | March 27, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Definitely my Birthday! I took it off this year and loved it! The problem is though if you take your own Birthday off, you can't evaluate your work place worth like they say here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMczbilSreM
So funny!
Posted by: Angie | March 27, 2008 at 06:47 PM
I'm with you regarding birthdays. I wouldn't want to pick one particular day. Just have an extra day off for whenever the mood -- or need! -- strikes.
Posted by: Kay @ Don't Mess With Taxes | March 29, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Whatever day is the first full day of the year that I take off. We can roll over (some) of our vacation pay from year to year, but the Floating Holiday is gone if the year passes without using it. This tends to be a Monday or a Friday for me to make a long weekend usually. This year I took a Friday off because my hands were bothering me (I'm a computer programmer).
Posted by: Brandon | March 31, 2008 at 02:29 PM
I started asking some of my friends about this and they are in agreement that their favorite is their Birthdays! One of my friends said that her favorite was my birthday! LOL! I guess it is because I get so many people to celebrate with me, I am a huge Birthday person! I want to start celebrating more of my co-workers birthdays because it is fun to go to happy hour and a Birthday is a great excuse to go out after work! Also, I want to show them that they are worth a lot at work like in the video I like!
Posted by: Angie | April 02, 2008 at 04:24 PM
The day after Thanksgiving! I work for a municipality, and we don't get that day off as a holiday.
Posted by: Polly | May 02, 2008 at 04:06 PM