It’s time for inclusive holiday PTO: How can you advocate for it?

It’s widely known that employee well-being both at work and at home leads to higher levels of happiness and productivity. Paid time off (PTO) is an important way for companies to keep employees motivated, and to express their respect and gratitude for their hard work. Workplaces are currently more diverse than ever, and to exclude holidays or flexible time off for groups other than Christian, white, or American employees is no longer acceptable.

It’s difficult to imagine a company giving PTO for every single religious or cultural holiday observed by their employees. In 2024, there are upwards of 17 Jewish holidays, 37 Hindu observances, and 12 key holidays in the Islamic calendar, and none of them are listed as a U.S. federal holiday, of which there are 11 in total each year. While no one expects dozens of new federal holidays to be added to the calendar, there are ways for companies to be more inclusive of all religious and cultural backgrounds in their PTO policies, and job hunters should know how to advocate for this flexibility during the recruitment process.

Is unlimited PTO the answer?

One way some companies have tried to be more inclusive is to offer unlimited time off, allowing employees fully paid leave any time they need to take it, whether that be for holidays, sick leave, vacation, mental health, bereavement, etc.

A policy like this requires trust between employer and employee, as many employers may be concerned about employees taking advantage, and many employees worry that without a limit, taking too many days off will make them appear unproductive and lazy. Though, if done right, the method can offer flexibility to employees who need it.

Michael Gropper, Head of People and Culture at Swoop, Inc says that his company operates on an unlimited PTO system that encourages everyone to take a minimum of three weeks off per year. “We track PTO usage to ensure no one is overworking or underutilizing their time off.” For unlimited PTO to be effective though, he says leadership must also model taking time off themselves. “If managers don’t take breaks, employees may feel hesitant to do so, which undermines the benefit of the policy.”

Floating holidays & flexible policies

With floating holidays, in addition to their standard paid time off, employees can choose to take time off whenever they feel it is most useful to them. Instead of getting a federal holiday like Labor Day or Easter off, for example, employees can swap those days for others throughout the year, for the religious or cultural holidays they observe. With this method, employers can choose how many floating days off to allow and if they are accrued after a certain amount of time with the company, as well as determine if there are specific days or events when an employee can take them.

“For companies with traditional PTO structures, ‘floating’ federal holidays are a great option,” Gropper says. “It provides flexibility and respects different religious or cultural needs. For businesses that operate on a set number of PTO days, allowing employees to customize which holidays they take can be a meaningful and inclusive perk.”

In addition to inclusive policies that support employees for their religious time off, employers can offer other flexible policies in place. Allowing employees to flex their working hours along with inclusive PTO policies provides flexibility while they are observing their holidays.

Allowing a Muslim employee observing Ramadan, for example, to start and end their work hours earlier can help them align their work with their fasting schedule, coinciding with their energy levels. No matter why an employee would want flexible working hours, it’s proven to be a beneficial perk, with 43% of employees reporting that they work harder when they are allowed some flexibility in their work schedule.

Advocating for yourself

Prioritizing your own values, informing your team well in advance of religious holidays, and being open and direct about their significance are all ways you can advocate for yourself as an employee. For Gropper, the best approach is to raise the topic during the interview or onboarding process to understand what accommodations can be made.

“Job hunters should feel empowered to have conversations with potential employers about religious or cultural holidays that are important to them. Many companies, especially start-ups with flexible or unlimited PTO policies, are open to making adjustments, such as swapping holidays or recognizing important cultural days as part of the overall PTO structure. The key is to plan ahead and discuss these needs early on so that everyone can prepare for coverage and maintain project momentum. Proactive communication ensures smooth collaboration and fosters an inclusive workplace.”

The takeaway

As workforces become more and more diverse, it seems only natural that employers try to introduce more inclusive policies. This is a good starting point to show respect for every employee, regardless of their religious or cultural background. By offering inclusive policies, not making assumptions about employee affiliations, and ultimately trusting workers, companies can benefit from a happy, productive, and diverse workforce. While there may not be one method that works best for every company or every employee, it’s important for job hunters to advocate for themselves early on, explaining their situation and what works best for them.

“I take pride in standing up for my beliefs and ensuring that my religious or cultural observances are respected,” says Gropper. “I make it a point to share the significance of these holidays with my team and encourage others to do the same for their own traditions.”

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

Follow Welcome to the Jungle on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to get our latest articles every week!