Should employers be expected to give their employees a paid vacation on Christmas, or does it potentially violate his right to make money and his violate his own religious beliefs, as well?  While most employers close down on that day (excluding many restaurants and some retail facilities), and while the majority of employees are given the day off with pay, it is entirely conceiveable that this practice may not last much longer.  Many restaurants and chain stores stayed open on Thanksgiving - including Walmart and Target - two of the nation's largest retailers.  Once companies realize that more and more customers are willing to shop on that day, they are sure to follow suit by staying open on Christmas.  Already many restaurants and some retail facilities such as Walgreen's and CVS are open on Christmas day; once it becomes clear that there IS money to be made on Christmas and that many Christians are out shopping on that day instead of worshipping, the practice of giving employees a free ride on Christmas is sure to die off.  After all, closing down costs employers a lot of money in lost productivity, sales and salary.

In light of all of the businesses that have already begun staying open on Thanksgiving and even on Christmas, do you think that employers should stay open on Christmas?  Should they switch to a system where they allow someone to take the day off, without pay, if they wish to?  If you are against this idea, can you explain why an employer should be expected to pay their employees to worship - or, let's be realistic - even to hang out at Walmart and shop?  If it is wrong to expect an employer to allow employees to use their own healthplans for contraception, it is certainly wrong to expect employers to finance employees' religious observances - especially if that holiday is against the employers' own beliefs.  Finally, isn't expecting to be paid for not working just another form of entitlement, as well as an anti-business philosophy?