View Full Version : for those who work holidays?
I know some jobs have holiday work and there is no way around it. Like hospitals have to stay open. It seems more and more retail establishments are now open more and more on holidays. On principal I do not shop on days like Thanksgiving even if the store is open, maybe that will make a tiny impact. However it has come to my attention that several retailers will be open the day before and after Thanksgiving but also on THanksgiving. These are usually required days in my experience, no one gets them off. Even if Thanksgiving is open short hours there is still a lot of work to prepare for Black Friday. Typically that team comes in very late and works overnight and the next day every single person works.
I just don't know how to get some voices heard maybe? I have heard that many people who already planned on the before and after days now have holiday plans ruined because of adding Thanksgiving. I hope at least some people get the day off, there are so many of us who host the holiday. my last time I hosted I had 20 people at my house. I had friends who stayed and understood the day before and after, but this seems too much.
Anyway, opinions?
iris lily
10-10-11, 8:34pm
...
...I just don't know how to get some voices heard maybe? I have heard that many people who already planned on the before and after days now have holiday plans ruined because of adding Thanksgiving. I hope at least some people get the day off, there are so many of us who host the holiday. my last time I hosted I had 20 people at my house. I had friends who stayed and understood the day before and after, but this seems too much.
Anyway, opinions?
I don't know what you are asking. If you mean: Do I have to work on Thanksgiving? I would say: what is your boss telling you? Heed that.
If you believe that getting "some voices heard" will cause your store to close down on Thanksgiving then that is unrealistic. I guarantee that management understands that "voices" will express dissatisfaction with working on Thanksgiving.
While I personally think it is stupid to open on Thanksgiving, I'm not your management. I'm only a consumer who will not be visiting that store on Thanksgiving.
Mighty Frugal
10-10-11, 9:41pm
Well, I don't work retail but our industry does work all holidays (prepress production). Typically the salaried people have it off (me-hurray!) and the hourly employees work. When I was an hourly employee I LOVED working the stats (what we Canucks call holidays) because we fondly referred to them as 'double time and a half day' you were paid 8 hours for the stat, plus the 8 or so hours you worked PLUS half time for the hours worked. So for an 8 hour day you were paid 20 hours...sweet....add to that no traffic driving into work...sweeter..no phone calls from anyone else because everyone else was at home..sweetest!
Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. I stayed home with the goobers meanwhile my dh (works in same industry) went off to work-and he was happy to go!
So don't feel so bad for these workers, I'll bet most of them are happy to work them (I assume Americans pay extra for holiday work)
fidgiegirl
10-10-11, 10:51pm
Mighty, I was always in the same boat as you, but in non-union, retail jobs, one can assume nothing as far as quality of pay in America :(
Zoe Girl
10-10-11, 11:21pm
I know that whether I work or others is probably a case by case situation. And I guess i throw in the towel on making any changes. I know that many jobs that are in places like hospitals rotate the shifts so that you get some holidays off. As I understand from our mid level management they work every and all holidays that we are open, Christmas Eve. New years Eve, Fourth of July, etc. As for being glad, no way. I think people would be glad if you have lets say 10 major nobody off holidays and you could pick 7 you would work instead of 100%. Many of these days are the only days our families are off work and school. For me I am on a leave so I am most likely exempt, however I only have a couple years of kids at home, one is already moved out but in the city. I don't care what you pay me, I want a little bit of choice here. I will work almost anything else but I love Thanksgiving and I host, and so many others do.
Heck our last 10 openings had 140 applicants, we all know about how much power we have. Sorry to sound a little crappy (and I will not officially say the retailer for the record)
I worked in a 24-hour 365-day industry--it took me about fifteen years to accumulate enough seniority to get Christmas off on a regular basis. Because I had a union job, I was paid fairly for holiday work. It came with the territory.
My employment is in the hospitality industry which is open 365 days a year. We do not receive "holiday pay", though in the past I use to get time + half pay. I haven't had a Thanksgiving off in almost 20 years and of the last 20 Christmas's I've had off about 3. I have to say it is getting a little old for me and I can't stand when guests use the old "I'm so sorry you have to work Christmas" line.....I always want to say "Well, if you didn't make this appointment I would have the day off", but I just smile and say "It's OK, we're having a great day!"
Miss Cellane
10-11-11, 10:10am
I've never worked retail or had to work major holidays. But I really wish the stores would close. Enough people *have* to work holidays--medical personnel, transportation, correction facilities, and the like. I can see the need for having a pharmacy open for medical emergencies. But do we really need to be able to shop 24/7? Football players should be able to be home with their families, and that would allow all the tv network people, stadium employees and food venders to be home as well.
Around here, some stores have been open on New Year's Day for the last few years, including the state liquor stores. I think the only day of the year that some stores close now is Christmas Day. And I'm waiting to see how long that lasts.
treehugger
10-11-11, 11:30am
I don't work holidays these days, but I have worked in food service in the past, and did have to work holidays (for no extra pay + really cranky customers + crappy tips), so I am one of those who stages of my own personal boycott of businesses on holidays. And no, I don't think my staying away will have any effect on sales or policies, but hey, I gotta have my principles.
Kara
jennipurrr
10-11-11, 11:40am
I try to avoid buying shopping in any kind of a store on holidays...can't we live a couple days out of the year without consumerism? But, my sister used to work at a restaurant that was open on Thanksgiving. She was in college and liked being able to make some extra money as they did get holiday pay. We were driving a long way on Christmas and we were torn about eating somewhere but we went ahead and stopped in a diner...I left the server a $50 tip as I figured no one (except the oddity of my sister) enjoys working on holidays...they are working because they have to so that was the best compromise I could come up with at the time with my values and not exactly living them.
Mighty Frugal
10-11-11, 12:00pm
My working environment is non-union but there are laws governing workers and all employees are paid a premium for working on a holiday (or are given time off in lieu)
Zoe Girl, perhaps you wouldn't like to work them but I can speak from experience that everyone here (or 90% of us) LOVE working them. We LOVE the extra money and the convenience of working when others are not. We are a dept of 170 and I'd say we smack our lips and gleefully rub our hands when a holiday work day is upon us.
If anyone wants the day off they book it in advance as a holiday day. People who generally work on holidays make arrangements (they celebrate on different days).
My sister is an RN for years she'd either work Christmas day or New Years day-she got to pick. As a single woman she worked Christmas (she liked to go out on New Year's Eve). Once she was married with kids she chose to work New Years day (so she could be home on Christmas). Again, she made a premium for working the stats.
I changed departments last year so I could have banker's hours, and am sooo happy I did. I never visit an establishment on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Except for maybe a gas station.
As I understand this ( I was not there ) more than one person cried at the news. It is a recent change so no one had a chance to ask it off in advance. It wouldnt be as bad if it wasn't a surprise, I am sure that enough people would volunteer so that those hosting the holiday could take the day. I don't work at a hospital or gas station or even a pharmacy, and I am only available weekends, so maybe it won't affect me.
iris lily
10-11-11, 8:48pm
My working environment is non-union but there are laws governing workers and all employees are paid a premium for working on a holiday (or are given time off in lieu)...
Perhaps in your state, but in mine, no one is paid premium time for working a holiday.
Mighty Frugal
10-11-11, 9:42pm
Perhaps in your state, but in mine, no one is paid premium time for working a holiday.
I don't live in a state;) I live in a province. As far as I know all Canadian workers are protected under the ESA (Employment Standards Act) which prevents evil bosses from demanding 16 hour days, or not paying overtime (must after 44 hours/week)and paying premium or time off in lieu for stats (holidays)
Do Americans have some sort of act to protect their workers-not a union but something for every worker. And that act does not include working on holidays?
iris lily
10-12-11, 12:03am
I don't live in a state;) I live in a province. As far as I know all Canadian workers are protected under the ESA (Employment Standards Act) which prevents evil bosses from demanding 16 hour days, or not paying overtime (must after 44 hours/week)and paying premium or time off in lieu for stats (holidays)
Do Americans have some sort of act to protect their workers-not a union but something for every worker. And that act does not include working on holidays?
oh sorry, I didn't notice your location, but I should have remembered that you are in Canada.
Sure the US has all kinds of Federal laws covering employment, but holiday pay isn't one of them.
Miss Cellane
10-12-11, 7:55am
The US federal government has no laws regarding work hours. That is left up to the individual state, and the regulations vary greatly. Some states are very protective of the employee, some not so much. As far as the federal government is concerned, employers could work their employees 24/7 without a break.
As far as overtime goes, the federal government does determine which classes of employees must get paid overtime, but that's it. How much is paid, or under what circumstances it is paid--those are left up to the individual state.
iris lily
10-12-11, 9:23am
The US federal government has no laws regarding work hours. That is left up to the individual state, and the regulations vary greatly. Some states are very protective of the employee, some not so much. As far as the federal government is concerned, employers could work their employees 24/7 without a break.
As far as overtime goes, the federal government does determine which classes of employees must get paid overtime, but that's it. ...
By "all kinds of laws covering employment" I was thinking of the Fair Labor Standards Act which, as you say, covers defines who must be paid overtime and in what circumstances.
sweetana3
10-12-11, 9:46am
Doesnt anyone remember Blue Laws, when stores were closed on Sunday and my husband thinks on some holidays. His grocery store manager was arrested for selling a pair of sneakers on Sunday but he could sell food. This was in the 60s.
The laws were removed for consumers and retailers who were constantly complaining. Probably mostly to increase sales. Store open means employees work.
Zoe, at least they gave more than a month's notice (and appear to allow for volunteers). I always used to work the days around Christmas since I did not have kids. Plus, I would rather celebrate any time but at the holidays.
As far as the federal government is concerned, employers could work their employees 24/7 without a break.
And that includes those in the armed forces who often DO work 24/7 365 days a year without ever having holidays or days off - and who don't get to go home at the end of the day. No overtime - ever. Your base monthly salary remains the same whether you work a 9 to 5 with every weekend and holiday off or are on a ship or in a platoon deployed out on never ending patrols 365 days a year.
domestic goddess
10-14-11, 6:06pm
When I worked in the hospital, I often worked the holidays. I would volunteer to do so, so that those who had children could be with them. DH often went to his parents' home out of state, since I wasn't around to cook, or we would have a simple meal when I worked off shifts.
After DD was born, though, I wanted to spend holidays with her, and didn't get the same consideration from others. I worked Christmas Day, while Jewish nurses took it off (a rabbi, whose son was hospitalized, asked me why I was working, and said the Christian nurses should be off and the Jewish ones should be working. I just couldn't tell him that the Jewish nurses were the first to request the day off).
Now I don't have to work holidays. I'm sure the company would like it if we did, but they also don't offer any compensation for the time worked, other than straight time. If they want us to work, they can pony up some incentive, from my point of view. And many of our families like to be able to celebrate the holidays without us in their homes.
DH has to work holidays if it falls on his shift. Since his shift is over Thursdays, he has worked Thanksgiving for the last 3 years (since he's been with this employer). This year he has Christmas off since it falls on a Sunday. Not being religious, I could give two hoots about Christmas in general but I told him he better not volunteer to take someone else's shift since he has worked Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years for the last 3 years (other holidays like Independence Day depend on where they fall, and he has Mondays off so Labor/Memorial Day are given). He doesn't get paid extra for the holidays, just takes it as PTO but has to coordinate with others. Because he's not supposed to take time too much in advance of the actual holiday, this means he basically has to take some day in mid-Dec or so as "Christmas". Luckily his birthday is in Dec so he can usually get that. It still sucks since we have family far away but are prevented from getting a large chunk of time in a row to be able to visit. Of course the place I work shuts down for the Christmas/New Years week, though you have to either take vacation or unpaid leave as the days that don't count as holidays. I agree that having a choice makes a huge difference. Most retailers are open July 4th in the US as well as the more minor holidays like Labor Day which some people might like. Encouraging shopping on Thanksgiving for retail stuff like chairs or whatever is just immoral. I wonder if any communities could get together and demand blue laws for big box stores on Thanksgiving?
Heh heh. DH is working and we really don't have too many friends here...I could go protest Target or Kmart or some such on T-day. "You don't really need to buy anything today. Staying out of stores means these employees, hardworking Americans, will get to spend today with their families, too. Happy Thanksgiving!"
I think the fact retail stores are open sheds light on what many of us behind the scenes already knew - that many of us (non-retail) people work in 24/7/365 day jobs.
Where I work, you have to work a certain number of holidays, and then you get a certain number off. So, you basically pick the one you want but you don't get all of them. I prefer to work holidays. Buttt, I do think it is nice to shut down the entire system we live in, if only for a day.
By the way, I believe Walmart started staying open on thanksgiving so that no one would die at the door (again) for black friday.
My sister, who works armed security for a defense contractor that is manned (womaned :-)!) 24/7 365 days a year. So she is required to work at least one shift on most holidays but she does get paid double time - sometimes triple time - so most of the officers WANT to work on holiday. They often try to work at least one and a half shift or 2 shifts so they can get triple time. The average salary is around $25/hour so they are making $75/hour on holidays for just sitting around cleaning the guns :-)!
I work for the government as a Park Ranger. Most National Parks are open 24/7/365. So I usually work holidays during the summertime. In the winter I volunteer, and I am going to be giving a program the day after Thanksgiving, on the night sky. It will be awesome! If you are in the Las Vegas area, come to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, we will have a great night sky to check out the constellations.
i am in a service industry, and work when most people are "off" anyway. That is, yoga classes run in the early morning before work for workers, then morning when kids are in school/kindy, then lunch hour. then a dead time in the afternoon, and then evenings after work, and then weekends.
if others are on holiday, we are likely to get a pretty good sized mix class (of workers, moms, and retirees) who want a "special" class. We ran the "Your ILs are Coming!" destress yoga class, and then the "Turkey Burn" on friday morning the day after. I also had "Christmas for Jews" class -- which was very popular, because I also got chinese food (appetizers) from the local chinese restaurant on that day. Everyone got such a giggle out of it. I worked christmas morning. I also did the "candlelight christmas eve" classes (usually two -- one in the early evening and one later), new years eve (at noon on Dec 31 and midnight -- one for families with small children and one for families with older children, singles, and non parents, etc), Easter weekend, 4th of July (Yoga, Fireworks, Hotdogs and BEER!), Halloween.
Yep. I worked pretty much every day for. . . oh 10 years?
This is why I don't decorate or celebrate holidays. I'm way out of practice.
Here, people take holidays seriously, and no one expects me to be open. I try to be open on holidays -- like the Queen's birthday -- and my STUDENTS email me and say "You need to cancel classes on the schedule for that day" (in our booking system). Seriously, they are like "YOU NEED A HOLIDAY CRAZY AMERICAN" :D
So, i totally took two weeks vacation last year, and travelled in NZ. Before that, we travelled twice in the 10 years -- both times to Europe for 3 weeks, and I was freaking out because i wasn't working. LOL I actually worked in the scandi countries, subbing yoga classes.
How whacked is that?
Americans. heh.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.