Christmas leave entitlement?

Peter999_2

Over the years I always worked on Christmas day/eve and new years eve/day and let those with children have it off.

However, I now have three weeks enforced holiday this Christmas :money:

However, it will be completely unpaid so will be a very expensive Christmas!

melysion

Theres no reason at all why people with children should have first dibs regarding xmas and new year hols. We all have family and loved ones that we want to be with at that time of year.

annie_d

I shall just blow my own trumpet here....I am a Manager and i have volunteered to work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day.....12 and a half hours a day so that others can be off and leaving my husband home alone. Get me! And no...i won't get paid any extra,
Managers should lead by example.

pickledonionspaceraider

The ones who get to me, are the employees who are that organised that they walk in on Jan 1st and book all the 'prime time' holiday - year after year. I have known staff to email their holiday form in, the last job on new years eve - so their holiday form is the first one the manager gets

tibawo

I remember as when I was younger working in the pub. My boss was fair. The staff knew I wanted Xmas eve off but would work the rest and as we had worked there a long time I knew they liked New Years off. The boss did the rota early December and we could come in and swap shifts as long as it got covered. You could even take shifts as hols, again as long as it got covered. I think it only worked as we worked together.

Poppy9

FBaby wrote: »

I do think it is fair to give priority to those with young children.

How is it fair?

All employees should be treated equally. Why should someone who is childless be less entitled to spend Christmas with their family.

I work with a colleague who is single and spends Christmas day with his elderly mother. If he didn't she would be alone at Christmas. Children won't be alone at Christmas, they would usually be with other parent or grandparent. Elderly parents often have few visitors and Xmas day can be lonely for them.

People with various circumstances want to spend Xmas day with family/friends and the fact they are childless or have grown up children doesn't stop this.

I think it's self centred and selfish to expect Xmas off because you have younger children.

I say this as someone who was married to a Police Officer so all bank holidays were at risk. Never a big deal, we worked with what his shifts demanded. He grew up with his mother working Xmas day as she was a carer, they just adjusted their day/evening. Lots of younger, single officers would offer to swap Xmas day for New Years day and OH happy to do this as young children curtail NYE socialisng.

Blanket rules giving one group of people priority creates tension.

DCFC79

Be easier if it was done a rota system eg if you work christmas you get Boxing day off and work nye for example, it worked in a previous job of mine, we were asked what days we would like off over xmas, as I was new I said I would work xmas eve, boxing day with new years day off and following year we swapped.

FBaby

How is it fair?

Ok, not fair, but unselfish. Yes, everyone has good reason to want to be off for Christmas, but my view is that none are as important as spending your time with young children. I am talking about priorities though, not right. It wouldn't right if the family with young children always systematically get the day off whilst others work every single Christmas, but say a 2:1 seems reasonable, but I totally agree that it should be about individual choice, not for the employers to make that decision.

melysion

FBaby wrote: »

Ok, not fair, but unselfish. Yes, everyone has good reason to want to be off for Christmas, but my view is that none are as important as spending your time with young children. I am talking about priorities though, not right. It wouldn't right if the family with young children always systematically get the day off whilst others work every single Christmas, but say a 2:1 seems reasonable, but I totally agree that it should be about individual choice, not for the employers to make that decision.

I couldn't disagree with you more. It should be a fair distribution with no favours done for people with young children done whatsoever. My reasons for wanting the day off are in no way shape or form less important than someone with children. if you want to brand me selfish thrn go ahead but as I know otherwise .

Thankfully my job doesn't require anyone to work over the holidays but I'd fight tooth and nail for my fair share of them if I had too.

Nebulous2

I've primarily worked in care and people got either Christmas Day or New Years Day off. That rota went out really early - sometimes in August, with people writing down their preference.

It was surprising how often requests worked out almost 50 / 50. There were a very small number of staff who volunteered to do both.

Even if working Christmas Day there were preferences for which shift. Some people wanted late, possibly to spend the morning with their children, and others wanted early sometimes to have a family meal in the evening.

So with a bit of juggling most people were able to get some family time that suited.