To think that you shouldn't be pissed off to work Xmas day just because you have children?

[kitya]

When your kids are 15 and over and you are in a job where unsociable hours are enough. I'm fuming that someone complained today that she was the only one with kids that was working Xmas. As if us singles don't have families we would love to be with. I'm so annoyed, she's a friend as well.

Pre kids, I loved working Xmas Day - extra money & an excuse to avoid elderly relatives.

Now? I'd hate it, tbh. Not sure how I'll feel once dc are a bit older, but whilst they're young, it's something I really do look forward to.

BUT if I still worked in an industry where Xmas Day was a work day, I wouldn't expect preferential treatment over childless colleagues - I'd be happy if it were paid extra to let them have first dibs on those shifts, but not to expect them to have to cover it.

Covering for sickness is hard enough. No-one wants to pay agency and, why should they when the have enough staff to cover it, if they I Clyde those that have children.

sounds scottish to me

Bloody spell check!! Count.

Oh, btw, I'm working Christmas day, Boxing day and New years eve. I hate new year so I don't mind that but all the Xmas period is abit crap. I will complain inwardly though.

Mmmm some good suggestions there mofo but not sure it's worth breaking a leg just to get the day off

Maybe just a finger, then you can still get drunk and dance round the christmas tree.

Goodness me, I couldn't do any of the above!!! It's too busy and, its life I'm afraid. Pulling a sickie over Christmas is so obvious, you really wouldn't enjoy yourself.

I always choose to work Xmas because I don't celebrate it. I tend to find that people without kids prefer to have NYE off, so it usually works well.

I think you're being a bit U and I'm sure you've posted about this before.

She should not guilt anyone, but I would understand her disappointment.

I would work that day, or part of the day, to cover her if she asked me, and I was her work mate and friend and I had no children or adult children.

We don't have enough childless staff to cover it, I'm afraid!

Well, she has to suck it up then. My dh rarely gets CD off, his work does alternate CD and NYE though. He gets paid double time and a half though!

@lockets lol agree

Kitya, any one working xmas is reasonable to feel sad or pissed off but if you are doing christmas because of a rolling rota you have to do it. We have this every year as a dr and usually try to share the holiday duties. This will be my first year with a baby I'm on M L. A few years ago my father left DM. It was just as important for me to be there for my mum as for colleagues to be with their children IMO and I had to fight my corner hard.

I'm a doctor and work bank holidays and weekends as part of a contracted rota. At my interview for the job I stated that I won't do Xmas day. I'd resign first. I was due to do the afternoon this year but was allowed to take leave. I'm working Xmas eve, boxing day, 27th and new year's eve. It'll probably be hectic and I might even do extra hours to help out. But hell would freeze over before I did Xmas day. I had my years of that up to when ds was about 5/6.
Your colleague has a right to moan. Of course she does. Working Xmas sucks especially with dcs.

Of course it isn't unreasonable for anyone to be pissed off they have to work Christmas day. I have worked in a job where Christmas was a normal work day and it was bullshit. Priority for off shifts should automatically go to those with children. I say this as someone who is yet to have a Christmas with a child. If a parent has to work, their Christmas is ruined and their children's Christmas is ruined too. You can't ruin a child's Christmas you big Scrooge!

Molly, I'm a doctor too an I get really annoyed about this one. I've worked 6 of the last 7 christmasses usually part of a week of nights, this time an old fashioned on call weekend it's part of a rolling rota, which is at least fair though.

If I had a colleague who refused to work their share I'd be fuming - it's really a lack of respect for your colleagues and their life outside of work.

They'd also have fun trying to get swaps for anything elsewhere pulling this one, just saying

I work for the ambulance service and last year I worked Christmas and New year.We work twelve hour shifts so if on days won't see family at all. Will almost certainly be doing the same this year but Xmas rotas aren't out yet and probably won't be until first week in December. TBH this pisses me off far more than the actual working, they know who's on holiday over christmas in July so why can't they get the rota sorted in advance?
I don't actually mind working, someone has to, but I do mind the uncertainty.

I think YANBU. I would contact HR and let them know that you will work xmas but not new year, and if you work xmas, you would like to take off either xmas eve or boxing day. This would be fair. Expecting you to work all the holidays is unreasonable. ANd I get what you are sayng - this is not a family of prescoolers, its a family with a teenager.

Maybe you could suggest an alternative - that in future, the day is split - then people with young kiddies can work the morning, and singles can go home at 2ish.

My brother works in a hospital environment and could not have children. He was expected to work every year because of this....after all, he would not want to spend time with his wife, his nephews, his nieces....Eventually he spoke to HR and complained and now the department works on a strict rota system, where they all work one in 3 Christmasses.

If he is not bothered, he will often swap new year for christmas with someone else, but its his choice.

I'm goign to throw another one onto the melting pot. So there!

I don't think non-christians should get Christmas off - when they've already had a day off for Eid/Ramadan/Diwali etc.

Now that does piss me right off.

I think if your job description says shifts/unsociable hours then it should hardly come as a surprise, and no, I don't think people with children should get preferential treatment. No-one dragged them to med school.

I'm sure most doctors etc would agree.

Yanbu, no one should expect preferential treatment. People who are childless may still have partners/parents/ siblings/ aunts/ friends who are celebrating on Christmas day and they may want to share it.

It may not be great working Xmas, but as you say OP, you know the score when you sign up for the job, and as long as the burden is shared equally, and doesn't always fall on the same shoulders then no one has a right to complain really. I would be pretty pissed off if a colleague tried to make out they had some special 'right' to not work then.