2016 Holiday Survey Results Now Available
Over 95% of companies in Illinois will be closed for the holidays on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, according to the most recent Illinois Chamber Annual Holiday Survey.  The results are now available for 2016.   
 
The Chamber's Annual Holiday Survey is an instrumental tool for many Illinois businesses in helping them to make a decision on holiday benefits for employees.  It has, for many years, been regarded as the standard to follow.  The results provide a good indicator of what employers will be doing in 2016, and are provided by a good cross-section of businesses from across Illinois.
 
Holidays included in this survey are Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln's Birthday, President's Day, Washington's Birthday, Casimir Pulaski's Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Election Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.  (The entire 2016 Holiday Survey results are on the next page.)
 
Compiled from hundreds of responses from Illinois businesses of all size and industries, the survey indicated that the average number of paid holidays for Illinois workers is 8.8 days, slightly down from 2015.  The average number of paid personal days is 2.9 days, slightly up from 2015. 
  
 2016 Illinois Chamber Paid Holiday Survey Results
Holidays and Percentage of Firms Observing as a Paid Holiday
New Year's Day 2015
Friday, January 1 -  98.2%
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (observed) - Monday, January 18, 20.6%
Lincoln's Birthday - Friday, February 12 - 2.6%
President's Day (Washington/Lincoln Day) - Monday, February 15 - 18.5%
Washington's Birthday - Monday, February 22 - <1%
Casimir Pulaski's Birthday  (observed) -  Monday, March 7 - <1%
Good Friday - Friday, March 25 - 34.6%
Memorial Day - Monday, May 30 - 97.6%
Independence Day - Monday, July 4 - 97.3%
Labor Day - Monday, September 5 - 98.2%
Columbus Day - Monday, October 10 - 8.9%
Election Day - Tuesday, November 8 - 1.3% full day off; 1.0% half day off
Veterans Day - Friday, November 11 - 16.3%
Thanksgiving 
Wednesday, November 23 - 2.3%
Thursday, November 24 - 98.0%
Friday, November 25 - 72.7%
 
Christmas
Sunday, December 25 - 90.4% (most give either Friday before or Monday after)
New Year's Eve  
Saturday, December 31 - 27.2%
Employees Birthday - 2%
Floating Holiday (1 or more days) - 5.2%
Jewish Holidays (1 or more days) - About 1%
 
Average number of paid holidays - 8.8; Average number of paid personal days - 2.9
Number of firms responding  - 483
 
Percentage of firms from each industry classification responding
Manufacturing - 27.8%
Services - 10.8%
Finance/Banking - 4.7%
Retail Trade - 2.1%
Wholesale Trade - 3.7%
Insurance/Real Estate - 3.9%
Utility/Transport/Communications - 2.6%
Construction - 5.8%
Non-Profit/Association/Chamber of Commerce - 16.7%
Government - 5.6%
Other - 15.6%

To view the results online, click here

Sincerely,

Laurie Silvey
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
www.ilchamber.org
(217) 522-5512 Ext 223