Many federal employees find themselves needing to return to a full day of work immediately after celebrating Thanksgiving, a tradition that is centered on spending quality time with family and friends. This not only disrupts the holiday spirit but also impacts employee morale and the much-needed work-life balance. This petition seeks to establish the day after Thanksgiving as a federal holiday for all federal employees.

In stark contrast to the private sector where 74% of employers designate this day as a paid holiday, federal employees are required to return to work (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). This creates a clear inequity between the experiences of federal employees and their private-sector counterparts around the traditional American holiday. A more equitable work environment can be achieved with the guarantee of this extra day off.

Furthermore, the acknowledgment of this day as a holiday will serve to reduce both stress and potential workplace disruptions associated with high-volume post-Thanksgiving shopping commonly known as Black Friday.

Therefore, in the interest of promoting employee morale, work-life balance, and equal treatment of all employees, we urge the U.S. government to legislate the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, as a federal holiday for all federal employees. Please, sign this petition to make a change.