If you could choose any one weekday off, which would it be?

[FlyingSoap]

Trying to minimise days of childcare.
DH works shifts so usually has one weekday off which he can do a flexi working request for, and realistically finances will only allow me to go to 0.8, lowest, after maternity leave

Which weekday would you take off?

I think in the ideal I’d like Mondays off but also have to bear in mind bank holidays…

Re bank holidays my employer stipulates that if you work part time and do not normally work on that day you are not entitled to pay, nor are you entitled to a day off in lieu.

This means I should work Mondays, doesn’t it?

Any help appreciated, which day have you got off and why?

I've had Wednesday off in the past. I felt it wasn't long enough break to switch off and I had that Monday feeling twice a week. I've gone for Fridays, not starting on the back foot and colleagues almost don't notice I'm not working as it's a quieter day anyway.

No they can’t. I work in HR. If you work part time you are entitled to a pro rata amount of bank holidays. So if a normal working week is 40 hours (8 hours per day 5 days a week) and you work 4 days 32 hours (0.8 of full time hours) you are entitled to 0.8 of bank holiday hours across the year. If that’s a normal 8 bank holiday year that is equivalent to 8 days x 8 hours per day = 64 hours for full time staff, 51.2 hours for people on a 0.8 (4 days), 38.4 hours for people on 0.6 (3 days). And so on.

Your employer is full of shit and breaking the law if that’s what they are doing. It’s set by .gov not your employer.

I work full time but compressed. I used to have Wednesdays off but found it disjointed the week other than have a nice mid week break. I now have Fridays off. Means I can go on a long weekend without using my annual leave and handover is done at the end of the week rather than in the middle where I then have to pick stuff up after people have meddled. Stuff handed over on a Thursday handover can normally wait until Monday so it has continuity. Stuff handed over on a Tuesday normally needs something to happen on Weds when you won’t be in.

Yeah, I'd pick Wednesdays for the reason given by PP: never more than 2 days to wait for a day off.

I do this. Works really well. It means the kids are never in childcare for more than 2 days in a row too.

Plus, Fridays are super quiet in my company so I get loads of work done and then can usually finish early and just monitor emails if I want. I don't have loads of back to back meetings which I do on the other days as most people have Friday as their day off, so it also means I can set my own pace for the day. By the end of Friday I've usually smashed my to do list for work, given the house a little freshen up, and am ready to start the weekend in a good place!

I might have been reading an out of date source tbh. Maybe they do offer it pro rata. I know I definitely wouldn’t get a day in lieu

Wednesday. You never work more than two days in a row.

Mondays. So you get the bank holidays off but don't have to use any leave, and should get that time back in lieu to take when you want.

I used to have Monday off but found I was a bit out of the loop because it was the day of staff meetings plus felling a bit more bright eyed and fluffy at the start of the week. I then had to have Thursdays off when I went to four days a week as that was the only day I couldn't get childcare. It was ok - 3 days then off then a fairly relaxed Friday.
Friday off gives you long weekends but if that isn't a consideration, I'd go for Wednesday as two days then two days plus loads of activities run on a Wednesday. Also means you can sort out house and shopping midweek.

Monday. I like a 3 day weekend, and find Friday's too busy whereas Monday's are pretty quiet everywhere, i.e. shops, attractions, etc.,

I worked 3 days and had Wednesdays and Fridays off. From my point of view 2 days was the longest time worked in one go, but my employer liked it because I was only ever off for 1 working day at a time, so if anything came up that I needed to deal with there wasn't a big delay (eg from Wednesday to Monday). It suited both of us. When I went back to 4 days I wanted to keep the Wednesday off but employer preferred me to take Friday off instead. I'm all for a mid-week day off!

Mondays for me. It’s bloody lovely on a Sunday late afternoon when you don’t start getting that sinking feeling. It doesn’t really happen on a Tuesday because you’re so close to already being halfway through the week.

I’m in a flow by Wednesday and a day off would interrupt it.

It’s up to them how they process it but bank holidays are a statutory entitlement so whatever they do they need to make sure you get these pro rata to your working pattern. Whether that’s done as adding to your leave entitlement or as time off in lieu. If you are not given a proportionate number of bank holidays then they are breaking the law. It would have to be a very out of date source you are reading because they’ve been a statutory entitlement since 1871. I recommend you do find out how they ensure you are receiving a fair proportion of bank holidays.

I had Fridays. I found that if people needed me to respond to an email, my colleagues would tell them to contact me on Monday instead! While that could happen to whatever day you choose, on Fridays people are a bit slacker and less inclined to do anything extra

To be honest, when I was officially working abd getting paid for a four day week, I ended up doing five days in the four day period.

Is there any way you can do a three day week instead or jobshare?

Wednesday, half way through the week so only ever two days before another break!

I like going away for the weekend so Friday is best, followed by Monday. I can even go on Thursday evening and get three nights away. BH weekends gives four days off. Fab!

Often nurseries charge you for bank holidays, so Monday would be a logical choice so you don’t have to pay for care that you can’t use.

you will still get a bank holiday allowance that you can use throughout the year so you won’t miss out.

I did this, it was perfect.

Fridays. Most people have Fridays so it’s handy for play dates as your little one gets older!

Yep this.

When I worked part time I always had Wednesdays off because you only ever have to work two days before you get a day off.
Great if you get unwell.

Also I found Thursdays and Fridays were nice days to work as everyone is happy and looking forward to the weekend.

when I go PT again I’m going to ask for Mondays off. I hate having that Sunday night feeling.

I did this as well for the same reasons. Also, nurseries commonly charge for Mondays even when closed.

Monday, definitely.

The only downside I found to Mondays is that locally quite a lot of toddler type attractions, and cafes, are closed, plus not many classes are run on a Monday.