Annoying holiday policies

[Lace Neil Singer]

Anyone got any stories? At my job, I have no time off during the summer months cuz those months always, without exception, go to people with kids. I understand about summer holidays, but I still think it's unfair that I'm expected to slog thruout the summer with no time off at all. *le sigh* To clarify, what counts as summer is June/July/August and over here, the summer holidays don't even start til the end of July, so why can't I and the other childless peons have time off in say, June or the beginning of July?

[Becks]

In a lot of the departments at work, NO ONE is allowed/supposed to take their vacations during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. I see the point, I really do, but it's tough for me, because maybe, just maybe I would like to be able to go from New Jersey to Wisconsin to spend a holiday or two with MY family? (Nothing against my future in-laws.)

[KayEm]

I agree, Lace....I always say that as long as the rules are applied evenly and fairly to everyone, then I wouldn't have a problem with them. But when some people override the rules, while others can't..THEN it's a problem.

It's especially annoying when you don't have kids, yet keep having to make up for those who choose to reproduce..I totally understand that feeling. Just because I don't have kyds, does that mean I don't deserve to enjoy a nice holiday by myself ? Companies are just too breeder friendly.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Exactly. No offence to people with kids, but having had kids shouldn't automatically grant you superior holiday status.

[Brighid45]

At my workplace you were always told never to take vacation time in the summer or over the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's holidays, since those are absolutely insane times for us due to product demand. I was good about taking my vacay during really crappy months like February until I noticed that some people could take vacation pretty much anytime they wanted to--often at a moment's notice--when I got hassled about asking for a week off a year in advance. Well, **** that consideration. Just because I live alone doesn't mean I wouldn't like to go to the shore in July or take my birthday off (it's a week before Christmas *sigh* pita!). Now I just take my vacation whenever and don't worry about it. We somehow manage to keep up with demand anyway. What a crock.

[Rapscallion]

Oh, I don't know. It also depends on your definition of superior.

I don't mind children so much, but I sometimes am happy to be away from them. I spent a long weekend on the Isle of Man last year, but as it was before main holiday season, it was very quiet and relaxing. At the time, it was perfect for relaxing and investigating the place. Outside of school holiday time is cheaper, for that matter.

However, had I taken a holiday at a butlins or similar sort of holiday camp, I would have expected children everywhere. They're not that bad, but best when given back to the parents when they're dirty.

Rapscallion

[Greenday]

Um, at my summer job, if it's your first year, you don't get any extra pay whatsoever for any holidays you work, aka July 4th, Memorial Day, Father's Day, etc. And regardless of which year it is for you, you are expected to come in. It's not volunteer really. I just told them I was going to Pittsburg last year on July 4th and that I wouldn't be in. I told them that when I first applied. I told them every week for three weeks before July 4th. They STILL put me on the scheduele. Morons.

[Think Blue]

We've had two HRM's in charge of dealing with days off and sick days. Both were at the opposite ends of the spectrum, Our first HRM thought that people with kids deserved all the time off and us non parents were robots who never got tired or sick. You have a fever? come in, you hurt your back? do you have kids? no? well then come to work lazy (he actually said that to a coworker).
When a parent asked for a day off, they didn't even have to say why and they could have an extra day because "parents are more trust worthy and work harder than people who don't have kids". I was pissed off when I asked for a day off (my first one ever) and he said you can't you don't work hard enough.Needless to say he was out on the street when production from the non parents started to dwindle.
Then there was the lady who hated kids. She would never give time off to people with kids ever. Not even when one of our production worker's kid got hit by a car outside of school. Her response "is your darn kid alive?" yes then you don't need to go. I mean she was a total bi*ch only when my boss found out what happened was she allowed to leave. Now we have a pretty good HRM. She isn't the most sociable person, but she is fair about time off and will let you take a day off when you need one.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

One guy I used to work with was always able to get the day after Thanksgiving off because he was up north deer hunting. But when I tried to take Thanksgiving Day off (not a busy day at all, but corporate's trying to change that by running big sales), I got a big guilt trip. "Aw, come on, do you think you would be able to work at least some kind of shift that day so we can deliver good customer service?"

Gee, let me think...ummmm, NO! And then the next day when I worked 1 to 10, I got assigned to straighten all of Trimmery, the biggest messy hole in the store that day. They can't force you to do what they want you to do, but they sure as hell can make you want to do it.

The period from Thanksgiving to Christmas (or is it New Year's Day? I forget) is supposed to be a blackout period, meaning absolutely NOBODY gets to take vacation time during this period, but some people are always able to take vacation.

[Barefootgirl]

At my job, I have no time off during the summer months cuz those months always, without exception, go to people with kids.

That's just wrong. Personally i can't understand wanting to go away in the peak period anyway - everything is ten times as expensive and I'd rather be in a nice cool air-conditioned office - but I do realise some people like the summer. Certainly, given that all kids should still be in school in June, there doesn't seem to be a sensible reason for not letting you take time off in June.

They should just move to a first-come-first-served system for holidays. You book your holidays first, you get first pick of the dates. My colleague and I both have kids, and yes, we need to take time off in August, but since one of us has to be here all the time, we have to be adult and sort it out among ourselves. I always know my daughter's school holidays at the end of the previous year, so I can get the time off booked as soon as i come back after Christmas. I don't get special privileges because I have a kid, but I get first pick of the dates I want because I book early.

[NightAngel]

I have kids. I work alot of holidays, my birthday, etc. I cover for people when they need time off for *whatever*.

Here's the thing- I'm lucky enough to have family that watch my kids when I'm not home. They do it for free. If they didn't and I had to pay for daycare it would eat my entire check. The out of school months are hard for most parents who aren't as lucky as I am.

Daycare is insanely expensive and who knows whether your child is going to be watched, fed or anything else while they're there? It took exactly ONE bad daycare experience when my oldest son was little to know I didn't ever want my kids in a daycare program again.

Now, I certainly would never say it's right for only people with kids to get vacation time during the Summer. But there is a big difference between needing off to take care of your kids and wanting off so you can go party or whatever.

The other question that arises to me is, for the people who do have daycare, are the daycare facilities even open on major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving? I'm going to guess no. Then what are the people with kids supposed to do? Bring them to work? Leave them home alone? What?

[Lace Neil Singer]

I don't want time off in the summer so I can go party, more to do with the fact that summer is the busiest ever time (even busier than Christmas as there it only starts to get busy the week before) and I get absolutely knackered working 3 months with no time off! I don't want to go on holiday at that time as it's too expensive; I just want to chill for a week. Not too much to ask, surely? However, my work seems to think that parents deserve it more, even when their kids are still in school.

[SteverinoNY]

It's not so much an annoying holiday policy as its a generally annoying corporate policy dealing with holiday pay. At my company (think of a grocery store that rhymes with rice hopper), the old policy was that you needed a minimum of 12 hours a week average to qualify for X number of vacation hours (the weekly average hours you worked times 1.75...where they got that number i do not know) and 4 hours of personal time and four hours paid on your birthday. Also, you were paid a dollar extra an hour on all holidays plus given 4 hours pay for the holiday even if you did not work. Well, in their infinite wisdom, the hourly average was raised to 20 hours a week. Therefore, myself and all of the other people who go away to college because we value our education more than working in a grocery store and dealing with morons all day long get penalized because we are trying to make something of ourselves. All of the people I am talking about usually work between 28 and 35 hours a week during the summer and over all breaks, but becuase the avg hours are calculated for 52 weeks, our averages are around 12-15 hours, so essentially we get no vacation time and work all holidays for our base rate, while the people who stay around (or don't go to school) get the extra pay. I understand why they do it, but you would think taking that benefit from some of your better employees is not a good way to retain those employees.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

It's not so much an annoying holiday policy as its a generally annoying corporate policy dealing with holiday pay. At my company (think of a grocery store that rhymes with rice hopper), the old policy was that you needed a minimum of 12 hours a week average to qualify for X number of vacation hours (the weekly average hours you worked times 1.75...where they got that number i do not know) and 4 hours of personal time and four hours paid on your birthday. Also, you were paid a dollar extra an hour on all holidays plus given 4 hours pay for the holiday even if you did not work. Well, in their infinite wisdom, the hourly average was raised to 20 hours a week. Therefore, myself and all of the other people who go away to college because we value our education more than working in a grocery store and dealing with morons all day long get penalized because we are trying to make something of ourselves. All of the people I am talking about usually work between 28 and 35 hours a week during the summer and over all breaks, but becuase the avg hours are calculated for 52 weeks, our averages are around 12-15 hours, so essentially we get no vacation time and work all holidays for our base rate, while the people who stay around (or don't go to school) get the extra pay. I understand why they do it, but you would think taking that benefit from some of your better employees is not a good way to retain those employees.

I'd be happy as a pig in shit if I could get vacation time for working an avergae of 20 hours a week. But at my company, you don't get vacation time if you are not full time. I have been working pretty much full-time hours for the past year but still not enough to officially be considered full time. Therefore I have to pay for my own health insurance and any time I take off is unpaid.

And our holiday pay is only 50 cents more an hour, I believe.

It's all about the bottom line. When our sales and profits go in the tank, benefits are always the first to go. Benefits for the peons, that is; the corporate suits still get all their bonuses.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I know I'm lucky cuz I get an automatic 6 weeks approx off every year, but I don't want to spend all that in autumn and winter. I was lucky to get a week off in March next year tho.