Working on the 3rd

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MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Are you lying in bed or on your way to work? A recent survey found only 30 percent of US companies gave their employees today off. Why? Ashley Milne-Tyte explains.

ASHLEY MILNE-TYTE: In many cases the decision comes down to cold, hard cash. Heather Galler’s company JobKite.com conducted the survey. She calculated if her 30-person firm took today off, it would lose $10,000. But she’s so fond of her loyal employees she’s closing anyway. For most firms, practicality wins out.

HEATHER GALLER: One company in Nashville, they actually polled their customers, asked them if they were gonna have the day off, and determined they were gonna work that day based on the results that their customers would be working.

Galler says a delivery company in Philadelphia told her it won’t decide till this morning whether to close or not.

Only Kansans can put their collective feet up. The governor recently declared today would be a paid holiday for the entire state.

I’m Ashley Milne-Tyte for Marketplace.