Christmas working question

[ThisNoisyTealLurker]

I work in a care home setting and the system there for working over Christmas is that if you're normally rostered on for that day, you’re working it, any attempts to change this system has been denied. It means that I’ll be working (last Christmas) and every single Christmas Day for the next 3 years! I have young kids so it’s not ideal. No one will swap of course. In other places I’ve worked, staff have been asked if they would work the day and there’s always been takers for the double pay. I’ve accepted this now and probably will be leaving in the next year or so anyway.

My issue is now that management have said that they won’t be authorising ANY leave for two weeks over Christmas so I can’t even take Christmas Eve, Boxing Day or ANY day over the holidays which I feel is very unfair and unreasonable. Should I take this to my union? Am I being unreasonable?

I don't really understand - I'm not aware that there is a significant workload increase in a care environment over Christmas. So why wouldn't normal leave rules apply?

I understand limits on the number of people who can be off and I can also understand limitations to be as fair to everyone as possible. (Priority for Christmas eve for those working Christmas day for example.)

Blanket ban seems unreasonable and ill thought out.

I would absolutely take it to your union.

That is so unfair. I would be looking for a new job.

Very unfair. Not the usual practice in care homes at all

I have no idea on the legal stance but it's horribly unfair. I hope you can find another job soon with employers that actually care about their workforce.

Our department in an NHS trust also prevents any leave being taken over the Christmas period. We have our requests to use but no annual leave.

Blanket ban is cos loads of people go sick at Christmas in the care sector….then management have to use agency

I worked for a retailer who banned annual leave from 1st November until 1st Feb although we did all get Christmas Day off as the shop had to close.

I would definitely start looking for a new job OP. At least in a retail job you would be guaranteed Christmas day off.

Unfortunately there is usually a 2 week ban on annual leave Christmas & New Year week in both care work & ward settings in the NHS. It’s usually because of sickness levels going up then.

Ah I see.

Feels like this policy would just encourage more sickness though..!

Either everyone is getting so run down they are getting sick = poor working environment or there is a sick note culture = poor working environment.

It doesn't sounds like a great place to be working either way. I'm sorry OP. I hope you do manage to find somewhere better.

Sounds very unfair. Xmas is often a quieter time for care homes anyway, due to residents going out for the day or staying with relatives

There is no legal basis for this or for the council who run this place it’s just the managers decision. I’ve worked in other places for this council and it’s been a question put to staff to cover Christmas Eve, day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Like I said there were always people willing to do it and I could accept that if enough didn’t come forward then the ones originally rostered would have to come in. This 2 week leave ban is incredibly unfair though. I’ll speak to the manager today and look at speaking to my union.

This isn't an NHS rule. Is this what your department do?

Usually you have a list and people will put names down to work either Xmas period or NY period. I would be suggesting this OP... 3 years running isn't acceptable.

as for the suggestion about sickness over Christmas I do get that, it’s not something I’ve noticed where I’ve worked though. I think what rankles most is that there’s zero flexibility or exploration of fairer ways in which to manage staffing. There is an issue in my workplace of staff being treated unfairly and not valued, it’s a vipers pit and many people are unhappy. This place suits me at the moment as I'm studying another qualification in my own time but I wanted other opinions as sometimes you don’t know if you’re being unreasonable until you’re told otherwise!!

You won’t get anywhere….management have the right to impose restrictions if deemed necessary for service lead…..it happens in the nhs as well….just find a new job before christmas

I have suggested this unfortunately but it went nowhere…other members of staff are very trodden down by being there years and don’t see any point challenging things as they know nothing changes. I was warned by colleagues when starting there that any ideas or suggestions on how things are run fall on deaf ears and ‘there is no point’. I’m quite an annoying person in that I don’t accept that things can’t change and staff should stand up for their rights (within reason obvs).

Need not lead

@ThisNoisyTealLurker if its care work you do I would be job looking! Sounds very odd to me.

You need to pick your battles OP and you not gonna win no battles here…..the culture is ingrained ….you are as strong as your weakest link…so not very if staff are apathetic…..get out of the care sector OP …. What would you like to do ?

Well thankfully I’ve something in the pipeline that’s totally unrelated and should open up the job market once I qualify. I won’t say what as it may be outing. I think I’ve been there so long as it’s convenient for childcare and don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the work it’s very rewarding but it’s time for a change!

This seems very unfair. I would have thought Christmas should be a separate rota, so everyone who has a role that needs doing on Christmas day would be on a Christmas Day rota which made sure everyone took even numbers of Christmas Days over however many years that it took to fill the rota with everyone. e.g. 10 staff and 2 staff a day would mean that in 5 years every person got one Christmas Day working and 4 off. If it's like our place, people work different numbers of hours and different days, so a rota where you work if it's your day would be very uneven.