To be fed up of having to work Christmas because I don't have children

[boogiewoogie24]

I work in a 24/7 sector so christmas day is a normal working day.

This year we have a new manager and we've been told that apart from christmas day and boxing day, we have to work our normal shifts. Those 2 days, we have to work either christmas or boxing day

I work weds-sun one week and weds-fri the other, so never work Mon and Tues. I've been informed I'm working christmas eve, which is a Tuesday. Of the 3 people who normally work the Tuesday late shift, 2 have very young children so are being allowed to either finish early (normal finish time is 11pm) or just don't have to work. The other person has older kids so is happy to work as normal.
So I've been told I'm working the Tuesday until 11pm. I questioned why when I don't work Tuesdays. Response was "you don't have kids" yeah that'll be because I've had 3 miscarriages over 10 years of trying for a baby.
I'm one of only 3 people who work at my place who don't have children. The other 2 are only in their early 20s so plenty of time for them to have in future. I'm nearly 40.

I'm also having to work both christmas and boxing day because it's Jane's first christmas as a mum so she can have both days off and Jill's got her kids this year and last year they were at their dad's so she can have both days off, and Mary's family are in Scotland (we are south england) so she can have the 2 days off to visit them. No doubt Sue and Karen will go off sick like normal... you get the picture.

I'm rambling I know. But basically I'm being penalised for being unable to have children. It doesn't matter that I find christmas incredibly hard and painful.

Christmas as an adult can be just as important
My parents worked every Christmas when I was a child, then I went into the NHS and did 9 in a row

Damn right I took the 10th one off without any guilt at all and we had our first actual family Christmas with my first every Christmas dinner age 30

I found that when it's needed the other way or you get Christmas off drawn out a hat you then get pestered by people wanting it off constantly because "I've got a child"

Yes, and you haven't worked a single Christmas for 9 years!

Wow I missed this. Yikes, not only is it massively cruel it’s inaccurate. OP isn’t actively trying to ruin others Christmas nor is she saying she is upset at colleagues being with their families on Christmas Day.

What a twisted misrepresentation!

She is upset at the unfairness and potential illegality of being TOLD she has to work her day off because she doesn’t have children and it being mandated that she has to work Christmas yet again as a result of not being a parent. This is particularly painful for her given her miscarriages.

But it’s hardly the same as her saying she must get every Christmas off and parents being at home with their kids for Christmas upsets her?

Sending hugs to anyone out there reading this who is in OPs position and feeling very stung by this. rest assured most people don’t think like this ( I hope)

Wow. I think you need to step back then later actually read what you just posted.

We do get it, you and your colleagues are so selfless and will give up Christmas for another.

Also lucky your day of work can be fun. Not everyone had jobs like that, my work day will be just as miserable as every other day of the year.

😂😂 So now anyone not agreeing with you @SleepFinally is denying your freedom of speech? Priceless!!

Lots of people with "But she doesn't normally work that day".

This is likely not relevant as 365 and or 24/7 businesses with compulsory bank holiday work will have a contractual requirement to change rostered shifts due to business needs/holiday rota requirements.

They'll be running a holiday rota for 2-3 weeks over the festive period/New Year, during which shifts will be different.

They absolutely should be giving reasonable notice of this though!

people can insist on having any contracted hours they like if the company they work for are happy with that?

She said at the start they were told they would all work their normal rostered day so should be absolutely no change for anyone. But then they changed it for people with kids. So basically, the only differential factor is whether you have kids or not which is discriminatory

Too bad that you are going to be ill this christmas (covid/flu/whatever) so the manager might have to work himself.

Very unfair. It should be on a rota year by year, so everyone is treated equally. You shouldn't have to work on your non-working day, either.

This. You don’t work Tuesdays, so can’t work this one. Yes, they can make changes to shift patterns, but they need to communicate it/speak to people first. I’d be complaining very strongly about the ‘reasoning’ too (you might not have kids - I don’t either - but you might have other responsibilities) - this manager needs training btw.

You're ignoring the facts of the situation so probably for the best.

This. Plus you say. I will work one day as required out of either Xmas or boxing.

You let me know because I’m not working both.

Just calm. Matter of fact.

If they don’t change it. Just maintain that you aren’t doing both and they need to decide. Then either choose a day or call in sick.

I once worked at a place where you got paid double time on Christmas and Boxing Day and there was food and drinks after work on Christmas Day. It was surprising how many people were happy to celebrate Christmas on a different day when there was a financial incentive to work those days. No shortage of volunteers…

Indeed.

@boogiewoogie24 please disregard that poster. The vast majority - parents and non-parents alike - agree it’s unfair and many including me think you should challenge this “policy”.

Same! Pre 2010 it was quite common for some workplaces to offer double time on Christmas Day and boxing day and the parents were lining up to provide cover…

Does this note still happen if I get called into going into work on Christmas Day or Boxing Day?. I get paid for a full day regardless of how long I’ve been in there. Surely on a bank holiday it’s at least time and a half!

i worked in a pub when i left school, full time.

Christmas day we only opened 3 hours at lunchtime, and it was triple time and i was invited to the landlord's for christmas dinner (because my family all lived in a different country)
Boxing day and Christmas Eve were double time. I flippin' loved it, all those jolly people buying me drinks, giving me wee presents and so on - and earning more than twice as much as usual? Ker-ching.

But it is massively different for you to offer to work Christmas than to be told 'Well - you don't have kids so you have to work Christmas', @SleepFinally.

Thank you! I'm so sick of this. I'm happily child-free and I don't do NYE. Hard as that seems to be for some people to understand.

In the OP's case they basically are: 'I questioned why when I don't work Tuesdays. Response was "you don't have kids"'.

But it's not swings and roundabouts because many people don't go on to have kids.

Reproductive status should have zero bearing on work rotas.

This is awful. Firstly, if your contract says you only work Wed-Sundays then they cannot require you to work Mon-Tues (unless the contract allows this flexibility). Secondly, this is very unfair. I would raise with HR. You absolutely don't have to, but if you feel comfortable sharing about your miscarriages then unfortunately this may make them take it more seriously. It should either be on a rota taking into account what happened in previous years or pulled out of a hat in view of everyone (if you don't work Mon-Tues then you can't be included anyway). If anyone then is happy to swap they can offer but noone should be asked to and made to feel bad.

I'd want to see the manager get a warning, at least, for actually saying it's because you don't have kids. Who do you go to for complaints? HR? Head office? Raise hell, is my advice. Maybe talk to a lawyer too.

That's blatant discrimination.

Good for you. How does that relate to the OP's situation?