It joins a growing number of retailers citing consideration of their employees.
H&M announced on Monday that it will close all of its U.S. stores on Thanksgiving Day.
H&M announced on Monday that it will close all of its U.S. stores on Thanksgiving Day.
Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

H&M will close all of its United States stores on Thanksgiving Day to give employees time with their families, the retail giant announced on Monday.

“H&M would like to show our appreciation to our employees for their hard work year round, so in the tradition of Thanksgiving, H&M will close our U.S. stores on Thanksgiving Day, allowing our store teams to enjoy this time with their families and friends,” Daniel Kulle, president of H&M North America, said in a statement.

This is the first that H&M has closed all of its U.S. stores on Thanksgiving Day, according to the company.

H&M's U.S. office did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on the reasons for its decision.

The retailer joins a growing number of stores staying closed on Thanksgiving for similar reasons, including Costco, Nordstrom and BJ's. Outdoor goods store REI has gone a step further, announcing in October that it would close its doors on Black Friday as well as Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 26 this year.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Retailers offer enormous discounts to kick off the holiday shopping season, often drawing large crowds that line up for hours before a store's opening.

In recent years, some stores have begun opening as early as Thanksgiving Day, in a push to maximize profits known as "Black Friday creep."

Labor advocates argue that "Black Friday creep" is a devil's bargain for many workers, who want to spend time with their families, but are also desperate for hours in an economy in which part-time work has become increasingly common.

The move by many companies to close their stores on Thanksgiving is a response to backlash over the "Black Friday creep" trend.

Other major retailers such as Target, Best Buy and Macy's will open in the evening on Thanksgiving Day, according to CNN. Kohl's and Walmart have yet to announce their plan, but were open on Thanksgiving Day last year.

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