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.

Can't win can they? Not British enough, now he's trying to be too British.... appalling.

I don't celebrate it, but because of the concentration of bank holidays it's a great time to go away for a winter holiday, so I like to have extra time off around 25/26 for that reason.

I think it's odd that people celebrate Christmas if they are not Christian. I don't celebrate Eid, so why should more than half the population mark Christmas? Stumped!

It seems to be more that he feels entitled to take the time which is culturally significant to him and shit all over his colleagues when it comes to theirs.

All this stuff about bank holidays is bollocks in a workplace where they are added to annual leave allowance as they must be covered.

He’s said he doesn’t celebrate. It’s monumentally selfish to put himself in the pool for time off at Christmas when he doesn’t have to compete for what matters to him. In fact it’s so selfish I would assume it’s malicious. He’s an arsehole.

Did the OP not say he is going on holiday?
My question relates to other members of the team - are there others who are not doing much

When I was single and without children it was impossible for me to take holidays when I wanted because men and women with children came first in our workplace. They all wanted holidays during school holidays so for anyone without children it was impossible to actually have a "summer holiday".

It was discrimination but there was nothing I could do about it (at that time). Nobody should have to give reasons as to why they want a holiday at a specific time. It really is no one's business. Your colleague may well pray to the god of consumerism as much as the next man and has as much "right" to a holiday whenever he wants.

Was he/she told they got a preference for having Eid off because of their faith, or was it just allocated through normal channels? I really don't see why they should have less chance to use the bank holiday setup to get a longer time off for the same amount of annual leave than anybody else unless others were told that they couldn't take time off over Eid because the person's religion gave them an advantage. What about someone who doesn't celebrate any of the British cultural holidays? Should they never get the bank holiday benefit?

Love the smell of veiled racism first thing in the morning...

Is this the new “people without children should work over Christmas?”

Your Manager needs to start managing, making the rota fair for everyone.

Those who had last Christmas off should work this year, regardless of their religious beliefs.

I think if he had it off last year and only one person on team can have it off each year that is a much more reasonable way to approach your manager - if they are so unreasonable to give to the same person two years running.

Yes, this. Complain about a lack of rota, rather than a Muslim having time off because he's a Muslim.

Technically he is allowed the days off, I’m not saying his AL should be denied. I’m just saying I was hoping he would be a bit considerate about it and let us have Xmas day and Boxing Day. Then if he wants the 27th off or the week of new year he could do that. No one can dictate when he takes AL and for what reason. I’m only saying wouldn’t it be the decent thing to do?

It may well be the "decent" thing to do, @Username638, but then not everybody is decent

Given that you said he had last Christmas off too and that your manager kept the rota to himself for so long, I'd mainly be wondering how this guy was slotted in quite so fast - maybe there's a conversation to be had about how leave is generally allocated?

He gets 1-2 weeks off for Eid, l got 1 day and that was begrudgingly.

But if we are being PC, that is not fair on those who do not celebrate Christmas as they then have to use their annual leave for their religious or cultural events.

I work overseas in a Muslim country. I am not Muslim.

My lovely Muslim colleagues always kindly cover for me during Christmas and I do the same during Eid.

It's a national holiday. Because we're nominally a Christian country, it coincides with a Christian festival. But that really isn't what it's for any more, otherwise there would only be one day off, and atheists would not be expected to take it.

Do you feel that the Muslim co-worker shouldn't insist on taking August Bank Holiday too? Of course not. That too is a national holiday.

Eid isn't. Which is why Muslims take annual leave to celebrate it.

If there were a change in employment law to say that everyone is permitted five days' leave for religious holidays, to be taken whenever suits their religion's calendar, then you'd have a point. Until then, no - you're being unreasonable.

I think people are likely not reading your updates and assuming normal office bank holidays mandated off as standard. In your very specific case, it would be unfair of him to take Xmas day, boxing day etc off especially when he has had Eid protected. Why would he even want to if it doesn't give him any extra time and everything will be busy and expensive?

In my experience very few colleagues think of others. He just wants more time off. I'd be tempted to state you will not be working Christmas and leave it to the business to decide.

I've always tried to be really fair in my team's but I rarely get that fairness back.

Exactly this. I bet the OP won't be going to midnight mass or any other religious services.

Completely see your point OP, I would be annoyed too.

Yes - the AIBU process is that you put stuff in your post, we read what you wrote and pronounce judgement. If you leave important stuff out you get the wrong answer!

I'd be tempted to state you will not be working Christmas and leave it to the business to decide.

To decide what? That's dismissal material!

Because family and friends are often away from school/work so it’s a good time for get togethers. Bank holidays make it a good time for annual leave - especially in industries where the work load is less because of Christmas.

So what?
Why does it matter how they choose to celebrate Christmas?