Over 600 Kmart employees have signed a petition organized by one of the employee's daughters to allow them to take a holiday off on Thanksgiving Day.
Kmart will be open at 6 a.m. and stay open for 42 hours straight, along with other retailers who will open by 6.p.m. on Thanksgiving night this year, according to CNN Money.
25-year old Jillian Fisher organized the petition. Her mom, Donna Fisher was ordered to work two separate five-hour shifts Thanksgiving Day last year.
After working the first five hours, Donna decided to call out of the second shift so she could celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. Although she lost her holiday bonus pay, she was able to keep her job.
Jillian launched the petition in order to allow other Kmart workers to ask for a holiday off from Thanksgiving.
After the petition was released, Donna was given the opportunity to work during the morning shift rather than both the morning and evening shift so that she'll be home in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
"They accommodated my mom this year, but now someone else has to choose between working and spending time with their family," Jillian Fisher said.
Jillian, along with organizers at Coworker.Org asked some of the people who signed the petition. Their survey revealed that only 3 out of 56 Kmart employees were given the option to request Thanksgiving off.
Kekoa Wailehua, a Kmart worker in Hawaii, told CNNMoney that a sign posted at his store says workers may not request time off on certain "blackout" dates, such as Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
Wailehua will be working both days this year even though he's usually off on Fridays.
Meanwile, Kmart said that the store has been opening its doors on Thanksgiving for 23 years already, and that employees who work on that holiday are compensated with 1 and a half times their regular pay.
"[Kmart] stores do their very best to staff with seasonal associates and those who volunteer to work on holidays," a spokeswoman from Kmart said.
