Can my employer force us to work Dec 26th?

System

notanewuser wrote: »

If you don't like it OP, move out of retail!

I wish I could. I drive but at the moment, due to an eye condition, I find it difficult to drive in the dark. I have an appt at the hospital in May and the consultant will tell me if the procedure I need is on the NHS by then. He was going to a meeting about a few procedures going onto the NHS in early Dec. Once I get this procedure, I will be able to drive in the dark without difficulty (2 weeks after procedure.

Plus I will financially lose out in bus fares or fuel as walk to work - by £40-50 a month, plus the £15 a month I roughly save in staff discount.. No other work in walking distance.

InsideInsurance

Really you have plenty of time to make arrangements if you dont want to work on the 26th Dec 2015

The one time I worked in a place open truly 24/7 people were actually fighting to work Xmas day and Boxing day, particularly the afternoon/ evening shift on Xmas day. Only NYE night shift was in any way hard to fill but they had the same two guys in for the last decade and it was pretty much a lottery for the 3 people that were on call to support them in emergencies.


Book it as holiday, take it as unpaid leave, swap shifts with someone else, change jobs etc, all options there. Rarely is there no one who doesnt want the extra money of another shift.

Southend1

KiKi wrote: »

There is no right to Bank Holidays or Sundays off work unless it's in your contract. In employment law, in 2015 Boxing Day is simply a Sunday, nothing more, nothing less.

So yes, they can, but surely you can just talk to your manager about working a different day rather than taking the militant union approach?

KiKi

I don't think a sensible union rep would take a "militant" approach to this as there is no legal right to the time off. However as it is an issue which affects many of the employees the union may well be best placed to facilitate discussion about a solution that suits everyone. So I would advise OP to wait for the return of the union rep and discuss it with him/her in the first instance.

GothicStirling

duchy wrote: »

It doesn't make money
This is the stupid thing about Sunday trading too
More hours doesn't mean more customers -it means same sales over a longer period so costs increase eg wages, light, heat, security etc.

The only reason why stores keep doing it is because of market share. If they made a local agreement that no stores in a locality would open on Boxing day - then they'd actually make more money as costs would be lower- however it just takes one store to decide to open and all the others are forced to join in or they WILL lose market share.

It makes me laugh how those who think shops etc should be open longer/holidays are the ones who don't work in jobs themselves where it is needed or required.
I had a customer who simply couldn't believe that I couldn't send an engineer to his house on Christmas day.......and then told me he was off til 5 January himself and couldn't imagine working Christmas LOL

Sorry, but I work in a Museum and it is open every Sunday, and closes only Christmas Day and New Year's Day. And yes we made a lot of money those days you think we should be shut, and plenty of it. People wanted to get out, see a bit of culture and meet up with friends and family. It was a lovely atmosphere.

quietriot

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

The company will still have to pay your wages if BD was a holiday so even if they make £1 it is better than shutting up for the day revenue wise.

That free electricity for heating and lighting on Boxing Day sure comes in handy!

anamenottaken

N9eav wrote: »

Depends... I work for an emergency service, so 25,26 and 28 will all be paid holidays. The joy of a 24/7 contract I guess.


I would be interested to know how it works in the OP's case though as my son is in a similar position.


He was given 25 and 26 off this year, but was not allowed his regular day off. I thought that bank holidays were time off for everyone, unless they paid you to work, but I guess that is not the case?

I can't imagine that he wouldn't be paid if he worked on a bank holiday as required by his employer.

If you mean that an employer would have to pay an enhanced rate for someone to work on a bank holiday - no, there is no law that requires any extra pay and no law giving everyone the bank (or other customary) days as holiday.

EmmaC1989_2

wow you're complaining about one day! Think about hospital staff, fire services and police who have to work on Christmas eve, Christmas day and boxing day, and the soldiers abroad who haven't seen Christmas for how long?

Once 25th is over, its NOT Christmas, its gone, finished and yes you are required to work it if that day is on your contract. On a contract you agree to your hours and days and there is no law stating people can have 26th off and companies are treating it as a normal day as it should be treated.

suicidebob

ScarletMarble wrote: »

To those that say I should change my job - what a stupid thing to say?

People generally don't stay in the same job for life, so it's perfectly reasonable that you might decide to change job within 12 months.

What's stupid is you causing such a fuss when you've been given 12 months warning to sort your social life out. Not many in retail know they're shifts that far in advance.

N9eav

While it may feel satisfying to knock the OP for his post, I think you have to look at the bigger picture here.


I work in an emergency service, I could be asked to work any day and any hour, I could have my holidays cancelled. I have rights, but those rights mean I get compensated for the loss of my time. I am lucky in that respect.
But as time goes by my rights have been eroded and the compensation reduced. Many of you in the private sector have no such rights and get normal time on Bank holidays, less compensation for overtime, 0% contracts, no pension and other poor conditions.
The unions were set up to stop exploitation of workers. Governments (some more than others) have managed to erode those powers.
Society today accepts that you may be lucky to have a job and if you don't like it, tough, go someplace else.


What we don't want to become is the seasonal Dickens scenario of workers with cap in hand asking for Christmas day off. "Sir it's only once a year"
"So that makes it right to pick a man's pocket once a year? Just make sure you are in all the earlier the next morning"

LittleVoice

EmmaC1989 wrote: »

wow you're complaining about one day! Think about hospital staff, fire services and police who have to work on Christmas eve, Christmas day and boxing day, and the soldiers abroad who haven't seen Christmas for how long?

Once 25th is over, its NOT Christmas, its gone, finished and yes you are required to work it if that day is on your contract. On a contract you agree to your hours and days and there is no law stating people can have 26th off and companies are treating it as a normal day as it should be treated.

Well, despite what it seems like for at least two months before the day, Christmas doesn't start until 25th December. There are then twelve days of Christmas, starting on that day. That is despite a couple of companies emailing me from 1 December with different offers each day saying in effect, for example, "on the third day of Christmas (3rd December)" the offer is ....