It's the Fourth of July - which means my yard is dead (I live in the Southeast), we are under a drought warning and I am off work (as are many) for the day. Time for a listing of things as American as apple pie as a hat tip to Uncle Sam...
Note - This is not a "top" list, just top of mind things with some HR type items mixed in - so don't flame me too hard for the sentimental things I have left off..
Some truly Apple Pie American items:
1. Double Time and a Half - Have to work today? Have some of the hourly folks at your company working
in a call center, etc.? If you are a even slightly progressive company, you asked for volunteers to work the limited staffing you needed by offering the normal holiday pay plus OT on top of that, resulting a concoction affectionately known as 2.5 times pay or double time and a half. Only in America.
2. Kid Rock in Concert on the Fourth of July - Only in America can a suburban kid from Detroit attack the rock/rap game and emerge as Kid Rock, complete with a height challenged sidekick (he passed away a couple of years back), Harley riding base player and at a minority female drummer. Diversity at its best. How can HR people not tip their hat to that? Plus, the band is great. Add in some US flags, him doing an unplugged version of our national anthem, and you've got gold. In Birmingham tonight...
3. Baseball and Fireworks - preferably together.
4. The Cookout - Can you honestly tell me you aren't going to one or having a small one of your own today? There's something comforting about being around people (whether you like them or not - I'm lucky since I do) and a grill.
5. Packaging your day off on the Fourth with a Personal or Vacation Day to make a four-day weekend - Made harder this year by the holiday on Wednesday (there should be a law), packing the fourth with other days off to create a mini-vacation is more American than some of the activities listed above. Enjoy your long weekend, or at the very least if you can't package it all up due to the holiday falling on a Wednesday, enjoy the light traffic to work the rest of the week....
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