Christmas leave priority

Respectively, so is living a 5 hour drive away from your family.

The ages and the set-up of my family are precisely none of my employer's business. I don't make excuses as to why I can't contribute particular requirements of the job because I have a child. Therefore they don't get ownership of information about my family. They get my professionalism and I expect theirs in return.

I never did hold with this 'bring your whole self to work' schtick.

These employers are being overly prescriptive and are possibly also in contravention of the EA 2010. Families with sick relatives who might only get one more Christmas, or disabled loved ones who might need help, rank far higher on the priority list than these categories (grandparents?)

And employees should not feel compelled to explain their circumstances.

If it's just about being at work for a few hours on Christmas day then why the fuss at all? If it doesn't matter than why is OP in uproar? It can't be unimportant for children/parents but massively important to child free adults like OP.

Why can't OP just plan a bit differently?

I don't know the answer, but my year off on maternity leave per child was pretty great.

Not saying it's not needed, but a full year is quite a bonus let's be honest. We can at least acknowledge it's a massive advantage.

Why can’t they drive to you?

Presumably this applies to you also re. knowing the leave conditions?

I have kids so am not ‘militant child-free’. But parents like you give us all a bad name.

And people who think Christmas Day should be shared equally are not asking for there to be no children in society. You need to stop with the hyperbole. It’s just odd.

good grief, chill out!

We are talking about a parent being at work for a few hours on Christmas Day, not sending kids to the workhouse 😂

I was a young child (obviously), I have children. They'd be absolutely fine if a parent had to work, you just plan a bit differently.

What advantages do I have for having children?

the grandparents getting priority at all is absolutely bananas.

I don't dislike child free people. They are adults like every other adult. I think parents of teens/adults should give way to parents with young children too as again they are adults. I am entering this stage of life and don't think I should then get any additional priority.

Advent calendars are a basic part of Christmas now for most children. It would be very othering and sad for a child to go through December and not have one. They all talk about it at school and it's a big part of the excitement. I can't believe you are so willing to take that away from a kid on top of them not having Christmas morning with their parents.

Ridiculous system!

Its not like they're even working Christmas day anyway!

Should just have a 3pm finish on Christmas eve for everyone, if necessary have expectation that this is a huge perk/exoeriment, so anything urgent between 3pm and 5pm will be dealt with properly. Anyone with extenuating circs can ask for the full day (eg 8 hour journey to dying relative etc).

My sister a few years ago was child free. And one year on boxing day she was forced to work as the other person was a single mum young kids. On Christmas day we do Christmas as our own families then boxing day we get everyone together and have a 2nd Christmas. Presents, roast dinner, games, buffet tea ect. So my sister missed out on this and the opportunity to be with all her nieces and nephews and whole family and it came out in the end this single mum with young kids didn't even have her kids boxing day she went to the boxing day sales. Absolute piss take. My sister left her job soon after

I agree with you. It’s a ridiculous ’ranking’ and completely unfair and I’m a mum.

Last year I found a job that shuts down for two weeks over xmas and it’s the best thing ever!! Not education either. Love my two weeks off. Maybe think about looking for something else for next year?

I can't believe the entitlement on here. Not only do people want all the existing and substantial advantages they already have for having children, they also want to stomp on those who don't or can't have children.

As a former public sector manager I had to deal with this entitled nonsense every single year. I established a 'request-rota-names in a hat' approach.

First, I considered requests. Some years it just worked out that the right number of people requesting Christmas day off also matched those who preferred to work Christmas day (and have, say, New Years Eve off).

Some years there was a unbalanced mix of requests. In these cases, I looked back to the previous year, and rotated staff in a fair way. New staff were rotated in the same way, and staff could also broker their own swaps.

As a last resort, it was names in a hat (including mine). Yes, we did have one or two entitled people kick off ("but it's baby's first Christmas", etc.) but mostly people came around to realise that all staff were valued equally.

Hahaha what are the privileges of having young children?
Its hard thankless work, an indescribable love and joy but I cant think of a single privilege

We used to change Christmas day if my parents had to work. They would always let Father Christmas know what day to deliver the presents.
It certainly didn't spoil Christmas growing up.

Regarding leave priority, we currently say what days we can work over the Christmas period and shifts are worked out from that. Some people actually like to work Christmas. If there are days that can't get covered then names go in a hat. Booking annual leave isn't allowed unless because of special circumstances. It works well for us.

As a parent, I could not disagree more. You’re being so dramatic with your language about ‘taking things away’ from children, ‘depriving’, ‘selfish’ etc. The occasional Christmas Day spent without a parent will not harm a loved child at all.

And so much crap can happen to adults too of any age. And sometimes they will just want to spend Christmas Day with their family. I think your attitude is the one that needs challenging.

@putmeonthebackburnerI’d have thought kids of any age come before grandkids.

how come you won’t see your family till 26th if as you say you get bank hols?

can you see why hols at Christmas might be more important to those with kids (from a childcare and being there perspective) than those without?

This, or ask HR. Totally unfair. If a workplace requires staff working over Christmas it should be on a rota/take your turn basis. Whether anyone has kids of grandkids is absolutely irrelevant. We all have family and friends.