More time off is scheduled to be available this holiday season as 58% of employers are providing at least three paid days off, a jump from 42% from 2011-2012 and 36% in 2010-2011, according to a survey by Bloomberg BNA.

Another 51% of respondents report making Christmas Eve Day a paid day off. For the manufacturing industry, 85% of respondents are offering at least three paid days off during the holiday season while 52% of respondents from nonmanufacturing companies and 51% of respondents from nonbusiness organizations also plan to do so.

Among the respondents with fewer than 1,000 employees, 65% are giving employees three or more paid days off, but only 48% of respondents from larger organizations are offering that same time off. Roughly four out of 10 respondents say at least a few employees must work Dec. 25, Jan. 1 or both. Thirty-four percent of respondents expect to schedule Christmas work shifts, and 38% of respondents plan on employees working New Year's Day.

When it comes to gifts and bonuses, 45% of respondents say they are providing gifts or bonuses to some or all employees, which remains almost unchanged from last holiday season when 46% of respondents did so. Still, this is a jump from the record low of 33% in 2009. For clients and business associates, 77% of respondents impose formal rules on gift acceptance while 25% of respondents completely ban gifts.

More respondents are hosting holiday celebrations at 74%, up from 67% in 2009, and 55% of respondents are offering companywide events, an increase from 50% in 2009. Of the respondents holding holiday celebrations, 86% are paying for the entire cost, but only 48% are allowing guests.

Sixty-three percent of respondents are serving alcohol at their celebrations, marking an increase from 55% from 2011-2012 and 56% from 2010-2011. Even though more respondents are serving alcohol, they are still being careful as 84% of respondents have at least one measure in place to prevent excessive consumption or protect guests. Among the precautions are time limits, cab services and discounted hotel rates.

Charitable activities are also popular this holiday season as 63% of respondents are sponsoring some type of organization. Forty percent of respondents are supporting toy collections for needy children while 37% of respondents are hosting food collections. Another 16% of respondents are collecting money, and one in five respondents is sponsoring clothing drives.

This article was originally posted at BenefitsPro.com, a sister site of Credit Union Times.