Should people who don’t celebrate Christmas get to have it off work?

[Username638]

Might be a controversial topic, I’m not sure. I work in a small team and there always has to be at least two people in over Christmas. One of the people does not celebrate Christmas due to their religion. They get a week or two off earlier in the year for Eid. Now that it has come to deciding who is having what time off for Christmas, the colleague who doesn’t celebrate it has said he might go for a trip away. I find this unfair really because he has already had his celebration and his time off work. It was a given, he didn’t need to fight over holidays, he just was granted the time off (which is fine obviously, that’s not the issue. I’m just saying he has already had his celebration and now it’s ours).

I don’t think there should be any rules in place that he can’t have any time off over Xmas because I do think it would be unfair and not right. But I just would’ve hoped that he would make the decision off his own back to work Xmas eve, Xmas day and Boxing Day so that those who celebrate it can have it off. I feel like it’s common decency? I did ask what he is up to for Xmas a few weeks ago and he said nothing as he doesn’t celebrate it. But now he’s decided he might go away for the whole week of Christmas and I just find it selfish tbh.

So do you not even get extra money or a day off in lieu for Bank Holidays then. That sounds shit, I think you need to get organised.

And if he gets the time off then I'd be booking Eid straight away to bargain with him.

Maybe he wants to spend time with his family too? It's not his fault you may have to work.

He most likely used his annual leave for Eid. Praying in a mosque on Eid day is compulsory for men.

That isn't comparable to this and I'm sure you've booked your annual leave for when it suits you too.

Take it up with the company if you want things done differently.

We don't celebrate Christmas here but we still look forward to the time off as it's the one time almost everyone has off and can get together.

I dont do xmas at all but i wont give up my holiday for anyone.

While I agree that public holidays are not generous, just for accuracy, it is Northern Ireland who get 10. Scotland only have 9!

Ah ok interesting. I just read the rules about it and was quite surprised - for example it says that companies can decide you have to work at Christmas with only the number of days notice you'd be expected to work. Sad if people are ending up in that situation.

Except he was notchoosing like everyone else, sharing time. He felt he was entitled to insist on what he wanted.

You do know that not all Muslims are religious,right? I have a huge social circle in the Middle Eastern country I live in and not one of them observe the religious aspects of their culture.

I think it depends. I mean, a lot of people who live in the UK get time off over Christmas, regardless of their religion etc - due to bank holidays, school holidays, university break, shops and offices often closed. So even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, it’s still a time to spend with your family as most likely lots of people will have some time off work. Kids can’t decide to go into school on 25th December and refuse to attend over the Eid period.

@Tiredofallthis101 my opinion is you enter an industry knowing it has an obligation to provide 24/7 cover you have to expect to work some christmases. I always did our rota for Christmas in January so everyone knew where they stood, if someone left their replacement dropped into the vacant slot so everyone could make plans.
My industry has been through big restructuring and we now have dedicated out of hours teams in many areas so those of us who work days really appreciate the amazing teams who cover nights, weekends and bank holidays.
But my husband works in a industry where his holiday is two set weeks, two set weeks in August and then 10 personal days that really can only be taken between mid December and mid February every industry has it's restrictions.

There might be an uproar on MN but not in real life.

I've never in my working life seen anyone kick up a fuss about being refused the day off on Eid. People just get on with it.

Most people have been more concerned and kicked up a fuss about having New Years off rather than Christmas.

Not quite right. I believe it's 9 officially
We don't get 2 at Easter - only Good Friday
We get 2 in May
We get one in Early August not one in September
We also get one for St Andrew's day

Having said that, local agreements may in fact change a couple of the days. Early August may be agreed to be the last Monday in August for example and ditto with St Andrew's day. Not everywhere will close on St A's day (banks don't have to) but it is still an entitlement, which may locally be agreed to be taken on a different day or just added to your annual leave.

In addition many councils may have local Monday holidays where shops and offices close which can vary between places. July or September are common days for these depending where you live. These are not BANK holidays though. But many people in Scotland will have that extra day to look forward to as well.

How is that fair or legal?
I find that difficult to believe!

Oh blimey it gets worse… “if you moved somewhere where once a year they had a celebration…” it’s getting a bit into ‘who do they think they are, coming over here…’ territory 🫢
Careful OP, your micro aggression is showing…

Your memory is deficient - there is New Years Day!

An employer can refuse leave and does not have to give a reason - perfectly legal.

One other thing to remember schools are off and it's very difficult to get childcare over the Christmas period.

I imagine even within the Muslim community it would be very difficult to get paid childcare for Christmas day.

Oops. Sorry

No, the OP said "he might go away". Nowhere did she say he specifically requested time off. I might also go away if I get Christmas off, you know. If I don't get Christmas off, I'll be working. I have not put in a request to have it off as the rosta is done my management and they don't accept requests for BHs.

I'd have thought your colleague would count himself out as he doesn't celebrate xmas...seems like he is being a bit awkward!

No, I think everyone should be treated equally. If you wanted to take the Eid period off then go for it. If too many people want to take the same time off then pick straws.

I’m guessing you’re not Muslim so you’re probably exempt from OP’s rules.

That’s quite some interpretation. Where did Op say that?

Except he's said himself it means nothing to him, or are you selectively reading?

Many many people do nothing over Christmas apart from sleep and watch TV. Many many people also go on holiday instead of celebrate. Are they too not allowed to take Christmas off or is that viewpoint reserved for foreign Muslims?

Thanks for the responses everyone. It’s good to get others perspectives and opinions.

I did try to change my title after I first posted this but it wouldn’t let me. Because it looks like I’m asking whether people who don’t celebrate Christmas should be ALLOWED by the company time off over that period, and that’s absolutely not what I’m asking. But that’s on me for wording it that way. I am in agreement with everyone who says that my colleague is entitled to have whatever days off he wants, and my Xmas holidays don’t trump his. I in no way, shape, or form think that he should have his holiday declined. I was only hoping that he would let someone else have the day/s seeing as he doesn’t care about the holiday.

I work closely with my colleague, we talk to each other about our lives and plans etc and at first I asked him what he’s up to over Xmas (at this point I assumed he would try to take time off over Xmas) but then he told me that as he doesn’t celebrate it and it’s just a normal day for him that he won’t be doing anything. Then a few weeks later he asked the manager in a team meeting whether he could have the week of Xmas off. My manager responded by saying it shouldn’t be a problem but don’t put in any holidays yet as he needs to send the rota. Afterwards, I asked him about this and he said he decided that instead of taking the time off and being bored over Xmas, he may as well go away. This now means that someone who is looking forward to Christmas, wants to spend time with their children etc has to miss out on a day/s of fun and food and tradition and family time etc. it’s clear to me by what he has said that Christmas is not important to him. I would feel the same if he was white or non religious or whatever, if someone has expressed that they aren’t bothered about something, and someone else IS bothered about it, surely it is the decent thing to do to let the person who IS bothered have it? I am not saying he doesn’t deserve it, I’m not saying he should have less time off or his time off doesn’t matter. I am very aware and in agreement that he is entitled to time off over Xmas. But asking to take the whole week off at a time that is very important to other people, when it’s meaningless to you is in my opinion selfish, and not a team player. If you think otherwise, that’s fine, I posted here to get other peoples opinions and a lot of people have made some fair points.

I couldn’t have added all of that into the body of my post because it’d be long and no one would read it, so I just said the gist. But people are calling me racist and things now when it’s nothing at all to do with that. It’s just about being considerate and kind to other people