My rights around Christmas Day working

ReadingTim

Options are:

Swap with someone else
Book it as holiday
Find another job which doesn't involve working over Christmas

Also, Christmas is 2 months away. I don't know when shifts will be finalised, but if it's a possibility you'll have to work, you've got 8 weeks to sort out childcare. The idea you can't find someone to look after your daughter over the next 60 days is laughable.

You can. You just won't.

System

If it's your turn, you've got to sort it out. Having kids doesn't mean you get the best most convenient pick of the holidays.

Me2you

You physically can work. Child care concerns mean you don’t want to leave your child at home.

Cheeky_Monkey

Presumably, you've got someone who can look after your daughter between 9am - 2pm so do they not have any flexibility on timings?

clairec79

In fairness to her she's not refusing to work christmas day just requesting a particular shift on the day which to me is not unreasonable

However all you can do is ask to work the one you want (and I'll be honest when working out xmas off duty (which I was doing last night) I always try to fill options with volunteers first) and if they say no then ask someone to swap (and I'd be approaching someone with small children who is working the morning and ask them to swap - I hate working the morning as thats more special to me because of the kids opening presents etc, those of my colleagues with grown up or no children seem to prefer to work the morning so they can have the rest of the day off

Potbellypig

Mel321 wrote: »

So I work in the social care sector and have been told it is likely that I will be working Christmas Day this year. I have a young daughter and have explained to my employer I am fine with working Christmas Day on an early shift (9-2) but would be unable to work backshift (5-10) because of issues with childcare. I have been told that I don’t get to choose, but my issue is that if I am rota’d in for a backshift on Christmas Day I physically can’t work it as I will have nobody to look after my child. Where do I stand with this and what are my options?:huh::huh:

Seems a fair enough request. If they can't accommodate your request to work the morning shift, I'd just call them on Christmas Day and say your child is poorly and you can't come in. Problem solved.

motorguy

Potbellypig wrote: »

Seems a fair enough request. If they can't accommodate your request to work the morning shift, I'd just call them on Christmas Day and say your child is poorly and you can't come in. Problem solved.

Brilliant. Just Brilliant.

As the O/P is a social care worker i'm going to hazard a guess that there is an actual need for them to work Christmas day and as such to do your suggestion would be letting other potentially vulnerable people in need down and their colleagues down, rather than they're just being asked to work for fun.

The O/P has two months to sort it out - they need to do the responsibile thing and find other arrangements.

elsien

When i did Xmas day rotas people preferred different shifts. Those with kids usually wanted the morning off so they could open presents with their children, others wanted to work the morning so they go home and have dinner and a drink with family, some would happily do extra long Xmas shifts as long as they had New Year off.
So while your manager is correct, there's usually ways and means. Would a colleague come in early to allow you to leave at 2 if it doesn't impact on residents activities. Smile nicely at your colleagues and see what they say.
Transport can't be used as a factor - you'd have to get a taxi if all else failed.
E

Comms69

From memory, the company I worked for split the shifts down on Christmas from 6 hours, into 3 hour blocks.


Most people worked; and only worked for a very short period.

Undervalued

Potbellypig wrote: »

Seems a fair enough request. If they can't accommodate your request to work the morning shift, I'd just call them on Christmas Day and say your child is poorly and you can't come in. Problem solved.

Which would be gross misconduct!