I wrote that e-mail.

i think inviting underprivileged students into the work place to try inspire them is doing more for MLK's cause then taking a long weekend to go skiing. Just saying.

It's "busy season" for the accountants. No accounting firms close today or for that matter President's Day. At least PWC is making some sort of effort to "celebrate" the holiday.

What does this whiny employee EXPECT them to say- if you admitted you couldn't afford the cost you'd be ridiculed and probably Sharptoned; if you say some namby-pamby like they did, no one says anything except crybaby employees.

As a person who has met several African-Americans, as well as Americans of other races, I find the term "namby-pamby" to be racially insensitive.

What do you expect from a tool that uses a word like "impactful"?

I don't understand the incensed tipster? This does not seem like that objectionable of a concept at all -- bringing in talented high school students to discuss business opportunities?? Gosh -- they should be ashamed.

Honestly, do you really think that Dr. King would be more proud that someone took the day off to watch a crappy parade that is in tribute to him (or more likely, skipped the parade and sat your ass on the couch), or that he or she actually took action to improve something in your world.

Frankly, your email is the only thing that is offensive. Use your vacation days if you feel so strongly about not working today.

As a minority liberal (or a liberal minority, depending on your perspective), I see no issue here and think this sounds like a pretty good program.

If you don't find this memo hilarious and/or disgusting, there's something wrong with you. Leave now while you can still salvage some shred of your burnt-out soul.

Willingness to work their balls off on holidays is what allows the white and injun races to dominate crappy professions like law and accounting.

PWN3D!

12:18 is dead on. The PWC tipster sounds like a whiny brat whose friends all had a snow day and got to stay home and play nintendo, but he had to go to school because he attends an elite private school that doesn't have snow days.

(and yes, I realize that by using this analogy I realize I am opening myself up to a flood of comments that somehow find hidden meaning in my words and label me an insensitive, racist bigot).

yeah i'm sure lot of high school kids freely chose to hang with accountants on their day off. those kids will be so very receptive and thankful for their exposure to the vast array of accounting jobs

i can't believe people buy this typical corporate PR bullshit

Ummm....No decent firm, in any aspect of business be it law or accounting, gives its employees MLK off. All you attorneys who have the day off today - here's a brief memo - your firms sucks...

Yeah, it's corporate bullshit, but that doesn't mean that working on MLK Day is wrong. My firm doesn't give us off, nor do we have off on Presidents' Day, Flag Day, Columbus Day, or Veterans' Day. I'm glad of it. I have shit to do, and I want the suport staff to be in here, too, so I can get it done.

I fail to see the connection between honoring the man's deeds and sleeping in on the third Monday in January.

PWC's policy isn't nearly as bad as celebrating "Lee-Jackson-King" day, which is what the Commonwealth of Virginia is doing today. That's right: Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and MLK have to share the day.

12:36 - be careful my friend, you'd be surprised at the firms closed today....

I agree the email is a little bit over the top, but the tipster is an annoying whiner.

Yeah, I think PWC could have done something a little bit more involved at solving the problems MLK was interested in rather than just hosting some high school kids for some information sessions they will likely ignore. Maybe law firms and accounting firms should have had days-in where all their staff worked towards a pro bono project of relevance to King's life? The cost would be no more than a paid holiday.

12:36, if you're a big law firm in Atlanta (yeah, I know some of you think such a thing doesn't exist) and you don't officially close for MLK Day, you'll have a mutiny with the staff on your hands.

As to PWC, the above posters are right in that if you work at an accounting firm and expect any time off between now and April 1 / 15, you're a fool and deserve what you get. At least the firm is letting you spend a couple of hours with teenagers who are trying to better themselves than making you simply spend it at your desk working on year-end reports. Stop whining. As someone in law (w/ a sister in accounting), I can't believe this is something being cried over.

And to the poster right above me, what you said about the Commonwealth is patently false. From Wikipedia:

"The incongruous nature of the holiday, which simultaneously celebrated the lives of Confederate generals and a civil rights icon, did not escape the notice of Virginia lawmakers. Legislators protested the holiday by waving pictures of Jesse Jackson, Spike Lee, and Martin Luther King, Jr. around the state capitol. In 2000, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore proposed splitting Lee-Jackson-King Day into two separate holidays, with Lee-Jackson Day to be celebrated the Friday before what would become Martin Luther King Day. The measure was approved and the two holidays are now celebrated separately."

You can now look forward to honoring Lee and Jackson in February. Today, just focus on King.

Get with the times. Lee-Jackson day and MLK day have been separate in Virginia for some years now.

There's nothing wrong with trying to recognize the day some other way if business concerns don't permit you to give employees the day off.

But to dress up that decision based on those business concerns as a direct byproduct of the teachings of MLK? That's just silly and, yes, maybe objectionable. The original tipster clearly doesn't have a sense of proportion, but this is a misstep by PwC.

12:24 - Did you really just use the "King's new clothes" argument?

I remember reading the "I have a dream" speech in high school. I don't remember his dream involving the DMV being closed for no good reason.

12:27 - Not all of us were assured of, (and therefore felt entitled to) six-figure, white collar, jobs when we graduated college (nor were we assured of, or felt entiteld to, college at all). I was grateful when I had opportunities to tag along with professionals. And yes, I was glad for the excuse to not spend another day with my "friends" watching them get high.

The issue isn't that PWC dorks had to work on MLK day, the issue is that the head of the firm equated their stupid number crunching to what MLK did. If you're going to make your employees work, don't send them this email. How many posters work at PWC?

First of all, Michael Scott's "day on" was classic.

Second, stop crying. PWC is at least affirmatively celebrating the holiday instead of sleeping in.

Yeah, the email is a little tacky, with the "day on" language and all, but I agree with the concept. I used to have to go to school on MLK day, and I would always use my lunch hour to listen to a talk or lecture about MLK, and actually find some time to celebrate his legacy. Now that I have the day off, I sleep in and sit on my couch watching TV. (Still check ATL, though, so the joke's on me.)

Lee Jackson King day is no more. Friday is Lee-Jackson day. Monday is MLK day. And before you start in on a rant about Lee, rednecks, and southern bigotry, check your facts. Lee was OPPOSED to slavery, and on record as such in no uncertain terms. He was Lincoln's FIRST choice to head the Union Army and was widely respected on both sides.

As for MLK-Lee-Jackson day, if you read the fine print on the law, today is technically Lee-Jackson day observed. While the previous posters are correct that Friday was Lee-Jackson day, Monday is the legal day on which it is observed (along with MLK).

None of you got Friday off, did you? The splitting of the holidays was a way of being PC w/o actually changing the legal meaning of the days off. One of the holidays gets observed on the actual day, the other is observed later. (Of course, knowing this would require more than just listening to the news so I'm not surprised it missed your notice).

With that said (1:21 again) I wholeheartedly agree that placing MLK day on Lee Jackson day (which came first in Va) was an incredibly stupid and mildly offensive idea.

Commonwealth of Virginia employees get Friday off...

It's a four day weekend!

12:36: "All you attorneys who have the day off today - here's a brief memo - your firms sucks..."

Cravath = MLK day off, AND = better than your firm. suck it, biatch.

Yeah, it's busy season for tax and audit, so it's to be expected. I never had it off there.

1:38 - who's more likely to have the day off, NINJAS or PIRATES????!?!?!???!?

Those who truly value diversity recognize it in its most perfect form: WGWAG.

It's funny that this thread, of all things, reveals how young the posters on this board are. If you were a little older, you would remember what a pain in the ass it was to get MLK Day to be a national holiday. It was not something everyone just agreed on.

That is why it is so offensive to have a normal workday. My firm is open for business today as well and I find it ridiculous, especially given our crappy track record on diversity. Maybe they should give the attorneys the day off so they can think about why the vast majority of the non-white faces in the office can be found in the mail room.

If anything, the "incensed tipster" is probably a law-school grad stuck working at a Big 5 (or Big 4 or whatever it is thesedays) making 75K with a 5K bonus whereas his/her friends work for lawfirms and are sitting home today. There are no days off between New Year's and April 15th in the Accounting firms. Its all about "The Busy Season". Their lives revolve around "The Busy Season".

@ 12:48 - Citing to Wikipedia is like citing to well-formatted graffiti

Oh man. Those high school kids must be so excited that they won't have to endure the misery of playing video games on their day off.

When I was in high school, executives at prominent businesses would frequently mask their disdain for minority leaders and the social movements with which they were associated with subtle, white-supremacist firm-wide communiques aimed at motivating employees to spend more time in their offices rather than on their couches. It was no big deal.

What's truly absurd is the idea that anyone at PWC is doing the kind of work that MLK was talking about - breaking down hatred, overcoming racial barriers, lifting people out of poverty, fighting for basic human dignity for whole races of people. Career day might be a nice gesture, but really what these employees are being asked to do is come in and do some accounting for the wealthy. I'm at work today - working for wealthy corporate clients. I'm not deluded enough to think I'm doing my part for MLK's dream. When you say that MLK's message was one of tireless work, but you leave out the bit about what you're working for, you've shamelessly and absurdly twisted the message.

Accounting is not fighting for the weak and downtrodden.

What is most remarkable is that Mr. nally is not even aware that Dr. King was not most famous for his work toward school integration. The NAACP and others led that effort. Actually Dr. King was most involved in integrating places of public accomodation, like lunch counters, public transportation and the areas covered by the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

no matter where you stand on this issue, the "day on" bit is funny. ha.

Why is whether or not you get MLK off such a big deal???? I never understood the controversy around this holiday.

"As a result, we consider Dr. King's birthday as a "day on;" a day to take action; a day to recognize that progress is not automatic. "

Oh, my God - that takes the cake. What a bunch of bullshit. Fine, you're an accounting firm and the fate of the world rests on your shoulders until April. Please, please, PLEASE don't transform an extra day in the office that most people get off into something that it isn't.

The "day on" logic doesn't even make any frigging sense.

I found nothing offensive about this whatsoever. What gives Latty boy?

This year's MLK Day's theme is to take a day on rather than a day off. The idea is to take some action in support of the goals of MLK. All over the country local communities have organized book collections for under privileged schools, food bank donations, etc. in support of this theme. Inviting kids into your workplace to learn about what you do and about business so that they can visualize themselves there and have a hope of succeeding when they never thought that they could achieve that role is a fitting tribute to this year's MLK Day, and apparently rather rare among corporate America. The sentiments expressed in that email were quite appropriate and sensitive to the occasion, I thought. Hats off to PWC this MLK Day!

While I agree that helping the community in some way would be the best way to honor Dr. King, I am sitting in my cubicle in a PwC office, I have yet to see a single high school student walk into the office or even to hear of any such event taking place today. Instead I have been diligently making the rich richer. DAY ON!!!

If you found nothing offensive about this email then you are just naive. How can working in an accounting firm be compared to the work that MLK Jr. did? I personally don't have a problem with not getting the day off but it just becomes ridiculous when you send an email twisting the words of MLK to justify not giving the day off. When MLK spoke about human progress, I am sure he was not talking about struggling and sacrificing for the sake of corporations. Mr. Nally royally messed up when he hit that send button.

3:12: You are far to easily offended.

I didn't find the e-mail offensive at all either. If anything it drew attention to the fact that even large companies are willing to sacrifice time during the busy season to sponsor community outreach programs that show the wide array of career options that are out there. I actually work in one of the larger markets, and unfortunately haven't seen much turnout here (maybe our market isn't participating in the program), but I hope that the other markets have found great success in this program. Let's work together to make this world a better place.

As someone who actually received this email -- I have to say that I wasn't offended. I was however incredibly amused. I honestly don't think that the email was meant to offend anyone.

Just to play devil's advocate. I think the uproar is not about having to work (it's "busy season" and we know we have to work), it is about having to read a ridiculous email that uses MLK quotes to compare a fight for civil rights to a fight to prevail against the IRS/SEC. I think a simple "everyone celebrate it how you see fit -- and for those of you coming in --thanks!" would have worked fine. Additionally, I have yet to see a high school student..minority or otherwise (For those offices who actually do have HS kids coming through -- I'm glad!). On the other hand at least PwC is TRYING to do something for the community -- you have to give them credit for that.

DAY ON!!

12:05 (Michael Scott) plagiarized my profound words, linked here to my page on the internets.

Hi, i'm so glad i got to visit an accountant's office today rather than playing bball with my friends or otherwise enjoying my youth. i mean, i had heard of accounting before, but you truly have to see it in action to believe it!

i and many of my friends have always dreamt of trying for accounting, but it was only after spending 4 hours touring the cubicles, seeing the excel files open, and sitting through presentations that we could actually believe it might be possible for us. it was also great seeing so many white and azn faces around the office since all of us are also white and azn. really inspiring.

thanks finally to our guidance counselors for making us choose to attend this event on our holiday. simply having an accountant talk to us in class for half an hour would not be enough time for us to learn about the vast array of accounting jobs out there.

OMG I got the email and found it amusing at the time, although I was not offended. I agree with 3:37 in thinking that it was not intended to offend.

Also, we did our HighSchool visit last week b/c no rooms were available for today...but anyway we had almost 100 kids from high schools in the area. I was also involved in the panel we did last year, and I will say that the kids are truly interested in parts of the presentations (surprising to an extent), and they ask great questions! I know the highschools only bring certain people and it is considered an honor to attend.

Either way, the comments on this post gave my 'Day On' a nice break!

I work here as a minority and see no issue in this. Frankly, it's just funny the content of the e-mail...i'd rather just hear it outright: it's busy season so no break!

Anthony Greco smells

Yes, Cravath like my firm is closed today. By closed, the firms mean that staff can have a day off while the lawyers have to figure out how to use the PDF machine, where the copier is and what button on the phone to push to conference someone in. Sucks for me, but I support it--just because I chose a job that sucks doesn't mean the staff did. PwC, the only people I feel sorry for are the non-accountants whose "day on" will not involve meeting with teens who could care less.

Having spent several years at PwC before law school, you come to expect these odd emails from Dennis Nally. This email does not come close to the rambling voicemails Nally sent to all U.S. personnel around various other holidays.

I also recall that while the firm did not close down on MLK Day, all employees were given a floating holiday to use whenever they wanted.

My firm gives people MLK Day off if they agree to do some community service during the day. It works well. You put in your hours and get the rest of the day free.

That's the way to do it - not by hauling in bored teens to mope around PwC on what would otherwise be a free day for them.

Seriously, your viewpoint (the same viewpoint held by many of the people commenting above) is completely naive. Are you saying that nobody should make an effort to better society, unless that effort will have the same impact as that of MLK? If that were the case, I would wager that not much would get done. If this invitation for DC students to get a view into the accounting world enlightened and/or motivated a single one to pursue a better life, then it would be worthwhile. Your sanctimonious view comes off as even more odious than PWC's message.

Also, your "scare quotes" comment makes absolutely no sense at all. It would seem that the author is simply puts the day-off term in quotes to set up the "day on". Get over yourself. The email is just a poorly executed excuse, nothing more. If you see something offensive in it, I am surprised how you get out of bed every morning and face the real world.

the email was bullshat

I think the idea is a good one, but the execution leaves something to be desired. Trying to tie the fact that no one is getting off to a MLK quote to justify it is silly. And I think they should have gone a little bit further and provided other opportunities for employees to somehow make an impact - hosting a few high school students doesn't get enough people involved.

I enjoyed my day off, but had my firm done something of value to the community today instead, I would have welcomed that.

I being an african american in the firm do not see anything offensive or petty about our leader's email. I do not believe it was Dr King's vision for people to have a holiday as a way of honoring him but for all to help bring equality and prosperity to the underprivileged, which exactly what our firm has done. People have the option to use one of their floating holidays if they feel strongly about not working today. If all firms and coorporations would do the same imagine what impact it would have.

My real question is: why are there so many bloody CPAs reading ATL? This place is for lawyers! You don't see us posting on... on... do you guys even have your own blogs?

There are lots lawyers at Big4. Not in auditing or accounting, but in Tax Consulting, Structuring, M&A, etc.

Pimping MLK's message as a reason to work on MLK day is super offensive. I don't see how anyone could not see this as offensive. Its not like they are working on racial equality by doing taxes. To link the two very separate things is insulting.

Unreal that someone would find this email from PwC insensitive...at least they are trying to do something. I'm from E&Y and we did not do anything. I applaud PwC for its courage.

sorry anonymous poster. Cumberland School of Law (one of the 'whitest lawschools in the country' as you put it) did NOT hold class today. Nice try though. ;)

OK 7:27, but Campbell School of Law (#2 whitest law school last year) did hold classes today.

I was happy to come into to work today. I just never saw the need to beatify MLK. He may have done a few good things, but he stood for a bit more government intervention than I am comfortable with.

having received this email as an employee of pwc, i was offended. it's busy season, and we know we're working today and we're working late - there's no need to rub it in our faces while concocting a 'higher reason' for us to be overworked.

The (or a) sad thing is, "A Day On, Not A Day Off" is the theme of the annual MLK Day "Day of Service" in Philadelphia. http://www.mlkdayofservice.org/

Way to completely miss -- or pervert -- the point, PwC!

If you think this isn't offensive, please walk up to your favorite African American, and let him or her know.

7:53 - so you are researching which schools are the whitest and then trying to determine if they had class today? Nice life you've got going there.

It's funny that someone likely very smart can be so stupid as to write an e-mail like that, set up this charade, and think it's going to fly.

It's also, perhaps, a lesson to how far disingenuousness can take you in life.

I joing the majority here who think the tipster's outrage is misplaced.

Yeah, so maybe he could have been more straightforward about why PwC is open for business, but his message is more reasonable (and far less breathless) than most corporate-speak I see. And the idea of bringing in students is a good one (and in fact, quite in line with MLK Jr.'s message and philosophy). Though I have to admit, I do think MLK Jr. would have been very impressed by J.C. Penney's super-blowout sale extravaganza today, and also by the Celtics' performance against the Knicks.

Sorry, tipster... Save your indignation for another day.

7:12, did you really applaud PwC for its courage?

The tipster is right in the sense that if PWC wanted to have a "day on" celebrating the work of MLK, they should have dedicated the day to pro bono work or work that helps further equality (finding tax loopholes for minorities?).

It would have been more respectful to have just sent an email saying something about how good MLK was and that be the end of it. Trying to dress their money-grubbing work as in furtherance of MLK's ideals is silly at best (I find it quite insulting).

Most of the people here that call the tipster a whiner obviously lack analytical ability and are money-grubbing whiners themselves. Their reasoning boils down to "I don't get the day off so stop complaining" - that misses the point. If you don't understand that you're a tool.

What would be most illuminating would be if someone wrote back and asked if they could take the day to volunteer to help underprivileged minorities - if PWC wasn't full of sh*t they'd have to let the employee take the day to do that work (which is more in line with MLK's ideals). But the "day on" isn't about MLK, its about profits.

So save everyone some time and just send out an email that says, "Although we respect MLK's memory, due to business realities we cannot observe the holiday. Sorry for the inconvenience."

I'm so tired of the clueless white babies on this board. You really have no idea what the hell you're talking about.

My MLK day:

I slept in a little (woke up around 8:15). I took my kid/wife to get some breakfast. On the way to breakfast, I got an email from partner telling me to meet him in his office in 5 minutes to go over case . . . . I emailed back saying I could be in shortly. Received another email saying "make it quick." So, I went to work, and my family went to breakfast.

Ten hours later, I went home. The partner thought anyone who took MLK day off was a complete slacker and waste.

I work at PwC. The firm is in the client serivce business, and we should do what it takes to serivce our client.

I don't see why we should have the day off when my clients are working.

"Dumb" and "First Year Associate" are on the money. If PWC wants to make its people work, fine. But it shouldn't pervent King's message and the meaning of the day.

I think this entire thread is a joke. You have to be kidding me if anyone really believes that MLK would want the day taken off in remembrance of all the great things he did, meanwhile, so the disgusting likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson can blaspheme the very existance to which we are supposed to be celebrating. MLK would roll over in his grave right now if he saw what all the work, blood sweat and tears he put in to his dream has become. Nothing more than another day for people to have off work. I am a veteran, I dont take veterans day off. Weekends are for time off, weekdays are for work. There is NOTHING offensive or racist about what PWC did here.

12:25: Exactly. "Business realities prevent us from closing the office. To honor MLK's memory, PWC will donate X amount of dollars to X charity."

"Dr. King believed that the efforts around basic human rights could never take a holiday. As a result, we consider Dr. King's birthday as a "day on;" a day to take action" How can anyone compare continous efforts for human rights to working regular hours?

I look forward to accounting and law firms similarly sending apologetic emails recognizing the contributions of Christopher Columbus when they decide to make everyone work on Columbus Day, which is after all a federal holiday.

Let us also be reminded that Columbus not only found a new continent; he was also neither an adulterer nor a communist sympathizer.

Columbus discovered a new continent.
ha ha ha ha ha.

Fed Soc is so cute. You can just see his cardigan getting all ruffled while he thinks about MLK.

No leader in this world asked for a holiday on thier b'days.
I think keeping the Day on and working towards betterment of the society is definitely preferred then taking a holiday. Instead of a holiday make it 12 hours work day- but use this to make a difference to underpreviledged people. Do not ask employees to work just to make money by charging hours.

First of all, let me say that PwC policy allows two floating holidays to be used at each person's discretion. I did not choose to take MLK Day as one of my holidays, but I could have. Most of us are so busy at this point that taking a day off would just stress us out more knowing how far behind we are. So this tipster is obviously not upset enough to use one of the floating holidays to observe MLK Day.
Secondly, let me say that inviting the high school students into our offices is just part of what we are doing. MLK Day is actually wrapping up of our program in partnerships with the high schools to offer underprivileged students a glance into the world of business and the opportunities as well as provide them with scholarships!
Finally, I'd like to say that as far as inclusiveness I find that PwC has done so many things for all kinds of minorities to provide a level playing field. There is no law requiring PwC to provide benefits to "life partners", but PwC does in all states! There are benefits provided by PwC that showcase the values of inclusiveness and committment to diversity that I have never seen before. I think the person who finds problem with PwC's values really doesn't know very much about the Firm, and hasn't taken advantage of the many programs and resources the Firm has out there.

More power to Columbus Day! He also committed genocide and instituted the harshest form of slavery in the "new" world. He literally worked people to death!

Lets get ready for some strange and garbled Columbus day message about exploration and overcoming new boundaries, world is round, blah blah blah.

Yay Columbus! I want an obviously misinterpreted quote and some randoms to be frog marched over to my cubicle where I can bestow some beneficent wisdom upon them. If they're lucky, they may even get a juice box!

10:33: You're missing the point. Columbus might have enslaved people and worked them to death, but he was NOT an adulterer. You lose.

But to celebrate diversity we need BOTH adulterers and mass murderers! We want to make sure that our holiday schedule is sufficiently inclusive.

I think some of this misses the point. The day off and the federal holiday are supposed to serve the purpose of ensuring that MLK day remains significant in the national consciousness. It's supposed to be a day to reflect on the accomplishments of the man and the movement he inspired. If it is a working day it's no longer a big deal. Inviting high school students for the day may be a great idea but I think that all of those comments suggesting that we should clock in as always because that's what MLK would have wanted are utterly clueless.

Or, we can pay tribute to the republic by just working on the 4th of July.

Jeez...

10:23 is some PR spin by an PWC HR person. Funny how she calls "PwC" "the Firm". Where did talking about benefits for life partners come from?

Lazy/10:59 -

Well put. My thoughts exactly.

10:23 is some PR spin by an PWC HR person. Funny how she calls "PwC" "the Firm". Where did talking about benefits for life partners come from?

lol at fed soc. all accomplishments are diminished if you're an adulterer. Genocide is nbd in comparison!

Its funny how so many people are afraid to list who they are... afraid of a little backlash.

Being a former employee of PwC, you have to understand that the Firm is about making money. What business isnt? That is not meant as a shot a PwC because there are plenty of good people there. Its just the nature of the business.

My thing to PwC is why bring students in on their "day off" just to show them what it looks like to be "on"? Its a marketing idea to show "how great it is to work when the rest of the country (well not the REST of the country..just schools, banks, post offices...you know..government agencies..places like that). I mean, its not really like you are going to allow that "local talent" to see a office with mmm...well...a complete mixture of races ON DIFFERENT LEVELS FROM PARTNERS TO STAFF. I mean, it still is not too many chocolate chips in the vanilla factory. But just wait...KPMG, Reznick, Grant Thorton, D&T and all the major players will probably follow suit next year. Good job PwC for stepping out there to be the trendsetter ! !

And please refrain from stating its "tax season" because honestly, I promise half ,if not more than half, of the clients for tax season were closed themselves.

Also, why not have a compromise of closing up shop early and allowing those who would like to observe the day with family to go to the burial site or to the musuems or to the churches to recognize Dr. King for his sacrfice?

To say Dr. King would probably want you to sacrifice your time and come to work because staying home is not what he would have wanted to me really doesnt say, WE RECOGNIZE YOU DR.KING. WE TIP OUR HAT TO YOU. WE SALUTE YOU. As a Company, a FIRM, that believes in equality, for both men and women, regardless of your color, we salute you. Nope...doesnt say that all. At any rate, it goes back to what I stated at first. Its nothing personal, its business baby. strictly business.

This is so blown out of proportion. I want someone to give me a statistic that shows how all of the Gov't employees that had the day off yesterday "reflected" on what Dr King did for them or anyone. I would be willing to bet my weight in gold that 90% of employees that were given the day off yesterday did NOTHING to either benefit Dr Kings vision or ANYONE other than themselves. Columbus and his enslaving of people has nothing to do with the WHiney rants of a bunch of blowhards on this forum. PWC did nothing wrong. Instead of pointing fingers and pulling the race/offend cards, why not try to do something to better society and if you want to, do it in Dr Kings honor. If you want to do it in honor of Columbus, do it. As long as you do something to better this country, I dont care who's honor you do it in or how you "reflect" on it.

This is so blown out of proportion. I want someone to give me a statistic that shows how all of the Gov't employees that had the day off yesterday "reflected" on what Dr King did for them or anyone. I would be willing to bet my weight in gold that 90% of employees that were given the day off yesterday did NOTHING to either benefit Dr Kings vision or ANYONE other than themselves. Columbus and his enslaving of people has nothing to do with the WHiney rants of a bunch of blowhards on this forum. PWC did nothing wrong. Instead of pointing fingers and pulling the race/offend cards, why not try to do something to better society and if you want to, do it in Dr Kings honor. If you want to do it in honor of Columbus, do it. As long as you do something to better this country, I dont care who's honor you do it in or how you "reflect" on it.

PMD -

A statisitic would be irrelevant. Even if no one did anything extra in the cause of civil rights a day off for MLK would still be worthwhile, because a day of tribute is indicative of our national priorities.
If PWC wants to do something positive that's great, but the email doesn't even claim that the high school program extends to all of their offices. Requiring all of their employees to come in as on any other day and pretending that its a tribute to MLK is wrong.

What's next? Working on Christmas day to commemorate Santa Clause's hard work?

Why is everyone on the pro-PWC/day-on side ASSUMING that the kids visiting the office are minority? If they did come from underprivileged backgrounds, or go to schools that were predominantly minority, then I could see the basis for the PWC policy and, ergo, the e-mail. But there is nothing in the e-mail to suggest that the students are minority or underprivileged. Thus, the policy reflects the same thing it did before the e-mail - the hypocritical and systematic corporate dismissal of the value of racial diversity.

Why is everyone on the pro-PWC/day-on side ASSUMING that the kids visiting the office are minority? If they did come from underprivileged backgrounds, or go to schools that were predominantly minority, then I could see the basis for the PWC policy and, ergo, the e-mail. But there is nothing in the e-mail to suggest that the students are minority or underprivileged. Thus, the policy reflects the same thing it did before the e-mail - the hypocritical and systematic corporate dismissal of the value of racial diversity.

"day off" in quotes is awesome, as if it's meaning is cryptic.

as said above, why through these contortions???

The e-mail may be a lame attempt by the big boss to rally the troops, but you'd have to be pretty self-righteous to actually find it offensive.

The e-mail may be a lame attempt by the big boss to rally the troops, but you'd have to be pretty self-righteous to actually find it offensive.

the tipster needs to chill out.

OK here's the deal. As Americans, the corporate system wants us to work every living breathing day. The more you work, the more they get paid. Why do you think we have such few holidays and vacation/sick days in America? In Europe, lots of people get 3 weeks off for vacation just in the summer. And if you're sick, they don't want you coming to work miserable infecting everyone else. (notice that the EUs economy is growing as ours is shrinking)

Lazy? Hell no. Now if you are a scientist working on a cure for cancer, I might understand your willingness to come to work, but as a lawyer? Please. If you're doing more work to kiss your boss' ass so that Joe Blow can get some money for slipping in a McDonalds, you're lame. Quit clogging up the system to make a quick buck, instead of trying to actually make a difference. If you don't want the day off, you must be some sort of bottom feeder sucking your way to the top - probably in more ways than one, you lowlife.

Honoring Dr King is something we as US citizens need to recognize! He symbolized so much for so many of us and helped shape our world today as we know it. Equal rights. Human rights. Something capitalistic corporate behemoths want to eradicate to push the working class into early graves so the top 1% of the population who control the corporations can fly in private jets eating caviar from endangered whales.

So all you nay sayers, I tell you this: Go work in a sweatshop in some third world country. You will then understand the need to commemorate a person who made it a life goal to see that your dumb ass could live with basic human rights that we all deserve.

That e-mail from PWC is ridiculous. If they had just come out and said, "Nah, we just aren't going to let you folks have the day off," it would have been much better. At least they wouldn't have been trying to hide shit. I mean come on. Is PWC really trying to make a difference in America? In the world? I invite anyone to tell me how they made a huge breakthrough at their job at PWC on Monday. So since the company is not trying to make a difference in how we live, then why the f--k are they masking this holiday as a time to work really hard? SO THEY CAN GET PAID!!! It's really quite simple. Economics kids.

And "High school kid in the office day?" WTF! Please! What does that have to do with MLK? Oh wait, that' right. Since the kids are coming into work on Monday, that means you have even more of a chance of showing show up. AND since there is some kid looking over your shoulder the whole day, do you really think you're going to get much work done? I'm going with NO on that one. So if the company knows you're not going to get much work done, why do they want you to work? Oh right. This is the start of how they get rid of holidays and make us forget about people like Dr. King.

As a caveat... please don't think I'm some black power protagonist or some self-righteous disgruntled employee. I'm friggin white and I love my job. I agree with what Dr. King fought for because I feel that it is correct that we all have equal rights as human beings. And I didn't get MLK day off either....but my work didn't try to hide the fact that they want us working hard for their money. Crappy? Yes. We keep this up and soon enough the holiday will be erased from our calendars along with other holidays until we only have one weekend a month to live our own lives instead of being little ants always on the run for work. That's no way to live, now is it?

Finally, a chance to use my undergrad history degree! As I recall, and as a cursory glance through some books corroborates, the Vikings, the Polynesians, the Basque, the French, the English, and maybe even the Chinese "discovered" America before Columbus.

Vikings - everyone knows this one by now. Vineland, the ruins discovered in Labrador, etc. They got to Canada around the turn of the last millenium, and possibly got as far south as Cape Cod.

Polynesians - this one's pretty new, but this past summer, scientists at a dig in Peru discovered chicken bones of chickens indigenous only to Polynesia, that they carbon-dated to be from around 1340. That's fairly conclusive to me. And Thor Heyerdahl proved back in the 1950's that you could sail across the Pacific in a traditional Polynesian boat.

There is very strong evidence that Basques, the French, and maybe the Brits were all fishing off the Grand Banks during the 1480's, and maybe earlier. Everyone kept it a secret because the fishing grounds were far superior to any in Europe, and no one wanted to ruin the party.

The Chinese discovery is a controversial theory put out by pseudo-historian Gavin Menzies in a book called 1421. There is a companion book called 'The Island of the Seven Cities,' or something to that extent.

Thor Heyerdahl also extrapolated that the Egyptians might have sailed to Central America and founded the Toltec and Mayan Empires, but that's pretty iffy to me.

So, hooray for Columbus Day - why not celebrate the sixth or seventh nation/peoples to "find" America?

Actually, PwC staff have the right to take the day off as a paid "floating" holiday and some did so accordingly, so the commentary around cost savings and not allowing employees to spend the day as they personally see fit is incorrect.

Instead of lashing out at a firm who has tried to draw greater attention to the day, perhaps the author would be better served by "pouncing" on companies that choose to do nothing at all.

As a people, we cannot continue to be crabs in a barrell, pulling each other down and highlighting the negative. We need to focus more on the positive and better spend our efforts trying to give a hand up instead of a lash out. . .

I think the issue is not that PwC didn't give their employees the day off -- I'm not sure anyone who works there expected to have it off.

The issue is (the high school program aside, which is a good idea) that they sent an email to try to give an explanation for something nobody was asking for, and it came across as very fake and complete bullsh*t.

PwC gives 2 floating holidays to allow for African-Americans or others to take either MLK, St. Patrick's Day, Veteran's Day, Jewish Holidays, but not all of them. This email from the Chairman was intended to encourage those who are in the midst of year-end audit work, the firm's busiest period, to not flake it off and consider whether they want to use one of their floating holidays. I believe floating holidays allow for personal choice and multiculturalism. Which is why PwC is consistently voted a great place to work in multitudes of studies.

"but as a lawyer? Please. If you're doing more work to kiss your boss' ass so that Joe Blow can get some money for slipping in a McDonalds, you're lame."
No assumptions there! Apparently Monday was not only MLK day, it was also shit on lawyers day! Even though Dr. King's dream needed a few lawyers here and there (Thurgood Marshall, anyone?) to make the dream a reality.

Whatever, the company's email was BS. I like that MLK is an official government holiday, since it says, "MLK was/is important." As a salaried professional, however, I also understand that I don't get a day off just because the government says so.

As a PwC Employee (and not a lawyer - most of us are actually accountants in a public accounting firm), I can definitely say that I did not expect the day off. The outrage has absolutely nothing to do with working on that day. If you knew anything about public accounting, you would know that we are focused on client service and work nights, weekends, and holidays if needed.

Also, in my years at PwC I've never had the opportunity to participate in a high school hosting program. This may happen in 1 or 2 of the one hundred US offices, but it certainly is the exception and not the rule.

The point is that he is comparing the work I do as an auditor to the work that MLK Jr. did as a humanitarian. He should have just said the truth - it is "busy season" for tax and audit professionals and we cannot afford a day lost from work. I wasn't insulted that I had to work, I was insulted that Mr. Nally had the balls to insinuate that the Firm's work is as important to human rights as the work that MLK Jr. did.

PwC offers every employee 2 "floating holidays" each year; which allows them to take 2 additional holidays off(including MLK day) at their choice. Whoever sent this email probably ended up not taking this day off by choice, which I understand; then he/she turns around and bitch about his/her own choice? I don't get it...

As a PwC Employee (and not a lawyer - most of us are actually accountants in a public accounting firm), I can definitely say that I did not expect the day off. The outrage has absolutely nothing to do with working on that day. If you knew anything about public accounting, you would know that we are focused on client service and work nights, weekends, and holidays if needed.

Also, in my years at PwC I've never had the opportunity to participate in a high school hosting program. This may happen in 1 or 2 of the one hundred US offices, but it certainly is the exception and not the rule.

The point is that he is comparing the work I do as an auditor to the work that MLK Jr. did as a humanitarian. He should have just said the truth - it is "busy season" for tax and audit professionals and we cannot afford a day lost from work. I wasn't insulted that I had to work, I was insulted that Mr. Nally had the balls to insinuate that the Firm's work is as important to human rights as the work that MLK Jr. did.

Due to the fact that I worked my ass off during my life, I propose we cancel Christmas at PwC.

How do you think I feel, busting my ass only to watch you chumps eat turkey and crap candycanes every December??

Now get back to work! God hates your sorry professional asses!

For the people who advised to take the day off as a vacation instead of whine, we are not allowed to. Vacation isn't allowed during busy season.

this is amazing. Imagine how PWC will feel when they read your first novel.

here's why the e-mail is ridiculous:

1) they don't care about observing MLK
2) the only people who will interact with high school kids are the admins as the professionals are out at clients - seriously
3) no one needed to know MLK was not a day off - it never has been, never will be at any of the Big 4 (too much money to lose)

this is fucking awesome!!!

there is so much unrest going on at pwc; employee morale is down and many of their best people who have been devoted to this Firm for 10 years or more are now leaving voluntarily in addition to the large quantity of people that are being let go due to a large restructuring. this is NOT a good place to work nor has it been for the past couple of years.

PWC is absolutely the worst place to work. Even if you do end up staying and buying into the epitome of the corporate cool-aid culture they promote, you will find yourself working for someone who has no life and expects you not to either. They have entire PR campaigns to hide the fact that turnover is high. These consultants are glorified salesman who are addicted to their blackberries because they have no time to spend with the families and friends.

You Big 4 people are all white collar (and mostly white) slaves.

This is simply defamation. I work for PwC and there is a huge focus on diversity, I can't believe Dennis' message is interpreted that way. I have worked with many African-American associates, managers and partners in the firm, and believe me there is no racist mentality here. How did you miss the part about the community work that the firm was engaging in during that week? Would we really remember MLK's day better by watching TV on our couches rather than mentoring kids???!?! Also yes, we do have some lawyers in the firm, but the vast majority of our employees are accountants, so get your facts straight first. You are just one of those people that inflames racism. Get a life.