Christmas holidays

[filthiestfis]

Is it compulsory to work on christmas day?

[Ice.Maiden]

Comes with the job if you're a nurse, doctor, police officer.....and it's your turn!

[terambulan]

God forbid....if you needed hospital/fire/police on xmas day surely you would expect them to be open?

[filthiestfis]

Im talking about restaurant job. I have found out that there is nothing to stop an employer from telling you to work on any day of the year. Great. What is this country coming to when it cannot even close its restaurant on xmas day and new years-and its not a pub serving xmas lunch!!

[terambulan]

There's a credit-crunch and money needs to be made for everyone survival. I will work till 10 xmas eve & NY eve and possibly longer hair-cuts.

[filthiestfis]

rules are rules in this country. Never mind family eh? I'm going to Italy. Bye.

[coccinelle]

Be careful, because if you refuse you'll be exchanged for someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas...

[redcrx]

is that your girlfriends new job? didnt she think to ask if she'd be expected to work over chirstmas, its often the newbies that get such rotas.

[bednobs]

if it is on her rostered day then the employer can make her work, they dont have to observe bank holidays or even pay her extra, just give her the required amount of holidays.

[filthiestfis]

Yes, but whatever happened to celebrating that one day of the year with your family? Don't businesses respect that anymore? And who wants to eat chicken on xmas day for god's sakes? (Ok I get it, the non-celebrating members of society cannot go without their chicken)

[baileybird]

who do you think is going to serve or cook for people who choose to go out for xmas day lunch if the restaurant staff don't work? I would have thought it should be taken as holiday if you really don't want to work, but it is restaurant's busiest day of the year if they are open, and I wouldn't be suprised if staff are denied holiday on xmas day.

[Sasha13]

It depends what it says in your contract.

[buildersmate]

Not a terribly helpful contribution since most folks don't realise that their 'contract' comprises more than what might be written in the letter they got when appointed.
Refer the bednobs fine answer.

[Sasha13]

buildersmate - fair point as a contract can be made up of policies that can be published separately from the letter sent when offering a job.

But most jobs allow for Bank Holidays off, which would mean the poster wouldn't have to work Christmas day and if a contract of employment is subject to the aforementioned policies, it will state this in the offer letter/contract. This is surely the first port of call for the poster to check?????

[bednobs]

i'm not sure what you mean by "most jobs". I would have thought notable exception would be hospitality, and healthcare as mentioned. maybe most office jobs would have BH off, but i have to say no job ive ever worked in has automatically given me BH off

[filthiestfis]

"who do you think is going to serve or cook for people who choose to go out for xmas day lunch if the restaurant staff don't work?"

F-me! Cannot families cook their lunch at home for a change? What this is about is consumerism gone mad. The fact that an employee can be forced to work on xmas day is outrageous to me (certain jobs exempted like GPs, surgeons and lighthouse keepers) because restaurants are already open 364 days a year! Who said that the need for people to eat out on xmas day is greater than the need for them to spend the only sacred day of the year with their families?

[Sasha13]

Jobs I would suggest (I may be wrong of course) that would NOT give x days hols + bank hols as standard would be:

Hospitality
Retail (shop floor, not head office)
Police/Medical/Fire
Oil Rigs
Armed Forces

There may be many more, but I doubt it.

But filthiestfis I do have to say... It's not up to you to stop families who wish to go out on Christmas day from doing so. If you're contracted to do it and don't like it, leave! I have worked in retail and many a year on Boxing Day when there were queues to get in I thought that people should get a life and spend the time with their families - but it's the nature of the beast I'm afraid!!

[Whickerman]

Hamley's Toy shops just opened a branch in Dublin, and they're advertising opening hours of 365 days a year...

[filthiestfis]

Ok thanks all.

[redcrx]

with 2 small children, my partner still has to work christmas day.
I had to work for 2 hours one christmas day and with a commuting time of 1 hour either side of that and being on salary alone i wasnt best pleased but these places wouldnt be open if there wasnt a need.
If she doesnt like it then yes she can quit her job but is that really worth it just to make a stand?