Labor Day 2019 is a big holiday that comes between July 4 and Thanksgiving. Once again it’s time to mark the end of summer. We would be remiss if we did not wish you a Happy upcoming Labor Day weekend. We send a “shout-out” to the 162 million American workers who comprise America’s workforce.
You, the working citizen, are America’s true treasure and best natural resource. Thus once again Gavrilov & Co reserves this blog in honor of our workforce. We depart from our normal accounting and tax topics and dedicate this blog to Labor Day and the American work ethic.
Don’t Tire Yourself Out Having Fun
Traditional picnics, parties, and parades will help us close the 2019 summer season.
Our holiday spirit will be exhibited on campgrounds, rivers, lakes, in city parades, and even in our own back-yards.
Gavrilov & Co encourages you to relax and take some leisure time. It is ironic we call it Labor Day. However, the point of it is to avoid work. Yes, rest, relax and rejuvenate on the last long weekend of the summer.
Meanwhile, as accountants, you know we can’t celebrate without a few statistics, so we are bringing you some rather witty statistics concerning the Labor Day 2019 holiday and US work in general:
- Here is an interesting labor statistic: 40%. It stands for the number of U.S. workers who belonged to labor unions in the 1950s. In 2018, this number dropped to 11%. We are only posting the number today, not discussing socio-economic-political commentary
- 1894 — This was the year that Congress officially arranged for the Labor Day holiday to become a true, recognized federal holiday.
- 818 — The most unreal number in our research! This is the number of U.S. hot dogs eaten every second from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
- $685 —This amount honors the average number of dollars spent on an average kid’s back-to-school expenses.
Happy Labor Day 2019, Even If You Work on the Holiday
And the last number on our list is 705 million, which stands for the total number of U.S. unused vacation days as of 2017. So, perhaps we should be wishing “Happy Labor Day” to a nation of workaholics, but we certainly hope this is not the case.
Because Gavrilov & Co is a family-owned and family-run business, we are most proud of workers who learn the work-life-family balance, and we are sending a special shout out to them this Labor Day, 2019.
Labor Day 2019 Travel: The Horrendous Statistics
Labor is one of the most dangerous times of the year for travel, according to The National Safety Council. They have painted a horrifying picture of travel accidents that are predicted to occur during this holiday.
Gavrilov & Co is sad to report that approximately 421 people will die on the road during this holiday period. They will become tragic Labor Day statistics.
The holiday begins at 6:00 PM on Friday and ends on Monday, midnight. During that time period, an additional 48,400 will be injured to some degree in auto accidents.
Therefore, please forgive us for depressing you with these numbers and for cautioning about safe driving.
Extra Traffic Alerts for NYC
Here in the NYC area, we extend extra warnings about the Labor Day Holiday traffic, especially on Thursday and Friday.
A study by the safe driving app Drivemode researched driving patterns in 20 large US cities. They concluded that NYC would have the worst hour for traffic on Friday afternoon. “According to the report, the slowest traffic on Thursday was actually worse than Friday in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Riverside, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Washington D.C.
However, on the Friday before Labor Day 2019, the researchers “revealed that New York City has the worst traffic,” in the country. There are warnings that drivers might take 7.07 minutes to travel a single mile. This was during the time from noon to 1 p.m. on the Friday of Labor Day Weekend.” Yes, that is the worst travel prognosis among the cities in the research study. So, we urge you to take care as you drive into NYC. There is sure to be shows, parades, restaurants, and picnics that celebrate our wonderful city.
Key to Happy Labor Day 2019 Statistics: Traffic Tips for You, From The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA)
According to the American Property Casualty Insurance, “The 100 day stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day is historically the most dangerous on roadways.”
The APCIA has created a succinct list of tips for safe driving during this holiday. This is a time when 86 % of Americans will be doing some amount of automobile driving. Stay safe with their advice for surviving the last summer 3 day holiday:
- Don’t Mix Gas and Alcohol. Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Driving Defensively. It is still a Good Idea. Additionally, look out for other drivers that may not be quite as responsible as you.
- Dial-Out Distractions: We caution you to avoid distracted driving. Distracted Driving ignites accidents. So, do not do anything that might take your eyes or mind off the road. Other than texting or using your phone, think about the simple loss of a fraction of a second’s attention. For example, if you drop an item on the floor, what is your instinct? Try to train yourself to wait until you can safely stop your car before attempting to retrieve the fallen object.
- Buckle Up: We still love the statement of a State Policeman who said he never unbuckled a dead body from a wreck during his 20 years on the job.
- Plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Becoming impatient and getting in a hurry can also cause accidents.
- Observe speed limits.
Something to Anticipate After the Labor Day 2019 Holiday
When the celebrating is over, and everyone is home safe and sound, look to Gavrilov & Co. We will bring you a redefinition of the 21st-century accountant. Gavrilov and Co. is not only about taxes and audits or bookkeeping and payrolls. We are your strategic-valued-advisors. Find out how today’s accountants are offering businesses insights and strategies that make them much more profitable in our next blog.