I was just hired full-time at a small but rapidly growing media
company, and guess what? We don't have Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off! I'm kind of ticked at this, not just because I want a 3 day weekend, but I don't like how it's treated as a 2nd-tier holiday. Do most people have to work on Monday? How are you commemorating the holiday?
City schools, post offices, the public libraries, the New York Stock Exchange, and most government offices are closed in observance of Dr. King's birthday. Heck, even alternate side parking is suspended.
Gothamist is sorry that you have to work this Monday, but we're evebn sorrier to point out that you're not alone. Many businesses will remain open in a less-than-fitting tribute to the man who once said, "We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobile rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to mankind."
We once worked for a company that encouraged people to take the day off if they were planning to do at least two hours of volunteer work instead. It led to a virtual shut down of the office anyway, as no one wanted to be the only person who chose feeding the fax machine over feeding the hungry.
If you'd like to find volunteer opportunities near you this weekend, this Monday, and beyond, you can visit Volunteermatch.com. A quick search yielded a "Martin Luther King Day Serve-A-Thon" looking for volunteers to work in soup kitchens throughout the five boroughs. For a broader search, visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service web site.
