news as issues

national bosses day 2009

Boss’s Day (also known as Bosses Day or National Boss Day) is a secular holiday celebrated on October 16 in the United States. It has traditionally been a day for employees to thank their boss for being kind and fair throughout the year. The holiday has been the source of some controversy and criticism in the United States, where it is often mocked as a Hallmark Holiday.

There are a lot of ridiculous fake holidays, from the highly publicized Talk Like a Pirate Day to National Be Late For Something Day (September 5th…or in my case, every day). But according to Reuters, tomorrow is National Boss Day, and that just kinda ruffles my subordinate feathers. The news outlet calls it “a time for employees to thank their bosses for the job they do, and also to realize the daily pressures bosses face.”
I mean, isn’t every day National Boss Day? Your boss tells you to do something ridiculous, you do it, and then he or she changes their mind about what was wanted in the first place. You toil away, doing the dirty work with little or no recognition all year long, and then you’re supposed to take a day in October and say thanks to your overlord? I think not.

Maybe there are some people out there who really love their bosses and find this kind of holiday appropriate – let me know. Reuters also says that “individuals often fail to think about the challenges of being the boss,” especially during tough economic times. Well, I doubt the boss is the one getting laid off.

So go ahead, celebrate National Boss Day. I suggest sending a passive-aggressive e-card from someecards.com, or the gift of firsthand knowledge. See if your boss can handle using the fax or copy machine all by himself.