Christmas leave priority

Yes, that's discrimination. Pure and simple. Push back against that.

It's also religious discrimination. Absolutely no one should have priority. And if anyone, then possibly religious people who don't celebrate it should be last e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims to start.

That's a terrible policy!

But first come first served isn't fair either as some people would snap up all the dates as soon as they're released

That is ILLEGAL!!!!!!!

This

So much misinformation about discrimination 🤣

Other peoples childcare issues are not my problem.

Equally, you stay in the job knowing the leave conditions.

I dont agree with how they've allocated it, but your point is easily countered.

Also, just start telling employers you have kids. Not that they should even be allowed to ask because it's discrimination, but if everyone says they have kids, then they can't discriminate.

This isn't like asking who to prioritise on a lifeboat, we're talking about working X hours on a particular day!!

Become a Christian and then claim religious discrimination, funny how that’s not listed as a priority.

Very unreasonable. We take turns as we have jobs that operate over Christmas and NY. Usually we have a decent split of people who want one or the other but if not, if you had Christmas off the previous year then you’ll be asked to work it that year, for example.

I’d love to know how they are going to check that people have a relationship with their children or grandchildren.

According to that list my DN’s father would be priority 1 and my parents would have been priority 2 . Yet DN’s father has never met him and I wouldn’t have allowed my parents anywhere near my children in a month of Sundays.

Yet my SIL, who can’t have children because of a medical mistake, who spends every weekend around her nieces and nephews would get no priority.

To those saying this is discrimination - what protected characteristic do you think is being discriminated against?

Thats your choice
Would you like to work every xmas for the rest of your working life if you didnt have chiildren so those with children can be prioritised ?

Of course people with very small children should be prioritised. Once you have children yourself, you will understand the very, very real issues that come with childcare over periods like Christmas. It's really not just about the "magic" of Christmas.

Yes, people know the leave requirements before taking a job. But unless the business is prepared to ONLY hire childfree people, then they need to make allowances. The business/NHS/whatever organisation this is, would be in real trouble if all these people resigned from these jobs. And presumably they value these employees, so they need to keep them.

The grandchildren part is ridiculuous.

That’s super discriminatory- and I’ve never heard of grandparents being prioritised!!!

I think the idea is that it is for the children’s benefit, not the working adult!

I don’t think parents should automatically get priority as I’ve said up thread but I think that’s the thinking

It is a very strange priority system. As far as I can see you are off the bank holidays anyway. So why do parents with 6 year olds need say the 27th off more than someone with a 9 year old? If it was to let people spend actual Christmas Day with young kids I might understand it more (although still wouldn’t agree) or for primary aged and younger children on other days due to nurseries etc may be being shut (again still would seem batshit) but this is just really strange

I disagree though - you took a job on, you can’t be expected not to work over the Xmas period if that’s what’s required - maybe consider a different role/industry if your needs change due to childcare requirements.

No - it absolutely should not be parents first - why do parents have an automatic right to time off before any other employee? If they've asked for the time off before another person, fair enough, but just being a parent doesn't give you overall rights above somebody else to have that time off! If they haven't organised childcare, that's on them, surely? Other employees shouldn't be made to work just to cover a parent's disorganisation?!

They sort of are, on the macro level. Birth rates are declining in the UK, and if we want a society that encourages "breeding" (as a PP said!) to the replacement level, we're going to have to address the issues that are, increasingly, making people decide to have fewer or no children.

I have 6 children and I still don’t think my childcare issues should mean childfree colleagues are lower priority.

People who have jobs with unsocial hours or Christmas work have to build their village to enable them to do their job, not expect automatic priority over colleagues.

Interesting that religious beliefs haven't been taken into account. What with Christmas being a religious event.

If i worked in your workplace OP I would suddenly reconnect with my catholic upbringing (and I say that as someone who usually provides cover over Christmas)

Ridiculous. I have some sympathy for single parents who might genuinely have a huge problem finding childcare at christmas - no matter how much money they throw at it.

but overall, christmas needs to be on some sort of rotation ssystem. If you had it off this year, you are at the bottom of the queue for next year.

It's all wrong, but it's mental they think grandparents of a 6 year old should have priority over the parents of an 8 year old. Wtf?! Most grandparents only see their grandchildren every other Christmas anyway.

many of us have children, who are (or at least were very small) at one point

Still don't agree that parents should take priority!

you will understand the very, very real issues that come with childcare over periods like Christmas you have a year to plan it, and it's rare that a parent has NO-ONE available whatsoever.

If they genuinely do, then it's time to beg for special circumstances at work. But it doesn't mean Christmas should just blindly be given to parents exclusively. People can have a life too without children!