Christmas Eve - can they do this?

Nifty_Purse

Just be glad you're not working in retail. Christmas Day is the only day of the year the shop is shut. When Christmas Day is your contracted work day you have to take it as a day of paid holiday even though you cannot choose to work it. Some retailers of course don't do this but many do. 

Undervalued

Nifty_Purse said:

Just be glad you're not working in retail. Christmas Day is the only day of the year the shop is shut. When Christmas Day is your contracted work day you have to take it as a day of paid holiday even though you cannot choose to work it. Some retailers of course don't do this but many do. 

An employer can totally dictate when you must take your holiday.

Taken literally, it would be perfectly lawful for them to close for 28 working days per year and allow no other holiday whatsoever!

zagfles

Undervalued said:

Nifty_Purse said:

Just be glad you're not working in retail. Christmas Day is the only day of the year the shop is shut. When Christmas Day is your contracted work day you have to take it as a day of paid holiday even though you cannot choose to work it. Some retailers of course don't do this but many do. 

An employer can totally dictate when you must take your holiday.

Taken literally, it would be perfectly lawful for them to close for 28 working days per year and allow no other holiday whatsoever!

As happens with virtually everyone who works in a school. Except it's a bit more than 28 days

Spendless

Yes, this used to happen when I worked in a DIY chain at Xmas time. My contract was for 15 hours over Mon-Friday, but I worked in the evenings, so Xmas periods they weren't open as late. My 15 hours then would be spread throughout the week at times they were open if it wasn't a bank holiday. They didn't give me the time off for 'free' just because they were closed during the hours I usually worked, I had to work them.

Enjoy finishing early Xmas Eve, many industries don't allow this not just retail. My last job you weren't allowed any time off in December at all (other than their closed Bank hols) not even December 1st  and it's not the only place I've worked with those rules.

TBagpuss

sa others have said, the short answer is that yes, they can do this. It would presumably be open to you to take the afternoon as holiday, if you don't want to have to make up the hours, or to ask to take it as unpaid leave 

getmore4less

What's the regular overtime flexibility situation?

How does moving a few hours to next year fit in with that?

Slinky

OP raised the question and never came back

MalMonroe

McKneff said:

When I worked finishing work earlier on Christmas eve was a godsend. To get last minute shopping.
Preparing and endless list of chores in readiness for Christmas day. 
It was for us females anyway, all the males just trailed the pubs...

When I was working, I had a few jobs where we finished work early on Christmas Eve. We females trailed the pubs, too. And had some unexpectedly great Christmas celebrations that way too. Stuff the preps and chores! My partner always mucked in though, perhaps that was the difference.

Exodi

Nifty_Purse said:

Just be glad you're not working in retail. Christmas Day is the only day of the year the shop is shut. When Christmas Day is your contracted work day you have to take it as a day of paid holiday even though you cannot choose to work it. Some retailers of course don't do this but many do. 

To play devils advocate, it would be unfair to those whose shifts didn't fall on Christmas if you were giving a free days holiday otherwise.