Rev Jackson: Tech companies should observe MLK birthday

Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling on technology companies to observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday on Jan 19.

"It is a cherished national holiday when we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, his life of struggle and the legacy he left for our ongoing struggle for civil and human rights," Rev Jackson wrote in a letter to the companies. "This Monday only a handful of technology companies will close their doors and honor the King Holiday." Government offices close on the federal holiday to honor the slain civil rights leader but many businesses stay open including in Silicon Valley where the tech industry has been under persistent fire for its lack of diversity, particularly African Americans. Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yahoo give employees the day off. Apple and Microsoft do not. They are not alone. Thirty-seven percent of employers give employees a paid day off on the holiday, about the same percentage as Presidents' Day, according to a national survey. But more employers are observing the national holiday.