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Original poster

I wish there was a contingency plan for those key workers working Christmas Day.

27 replies

LittleMissLockdown · 20/12/2020 08:24

So after yesterdays announcement that you can only celebrate with family on the 25th unsurprisingly DH, a senior member of staff in the care sector, has woken up to lots of his staff messaging to say the no longer want to work on Christmas day.

He's frustrated but he completely understands why, as normally those working the 25th can see family on boxing day or Christmas eve but this year obviously that's not an option.

So it's now looking like DH will have to cover the entire 15 hour Christmas day shift as he is foreseeing that whoever he rotas will eitjer call in sick or just not turn up.

I know it's not the end of the world and I'm just having a moan. However, I do wish there had been some consideration towards those key workers who will find themselves working on the 25th and who now wont get any chance at all to see family.

Anyone else find themselves in a similar situation

OP posts:

SwanShaped · 20/12/2020 08:26

That’s really shit. I’m lucky my DH has Christmas Day off this year. But often doesn’t. Bet the govt hadn’t even considered it.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 20/12/2020 08:27

It's a shame they didnt say you could only meet for one day and allow you to choose from the 5 proposed days, or even knock it down to 3, Christmas Eve. Christmas Day or Boxing Day but I suppose that makes it harder to police. Not that it is likely to be policed. It's a kick in the teeth for the people who have probably worked the most this year and in the most dangerous situations.

OrchidFlakes · 20/12/2020 08:29

Spare a thought for those in tier 4 with no Christmas Day bubbles allowed at all.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 20/12/2020 08:29

Are they on zero hour contracts so can say they don’t want the work? If not, surely management should be reminding them of their obligations and taking action if they fail to turn in for a shift. Plenty of people have to work Christmas Day. Can you imagine if they all decided not to turn up.

ChristmasTreeFairy5000 · 20/12/2020 08:30

@CeeceeBloomingdale is right. The people most likely to be working Christmas day are 'our heroes' in the NHS. The government has just taken a massive shit on all of them.

starrynight19 · 20/12/2020 08:30

I really think it should have been over two days to include Boxing Day for those who are working or blended familys etc

TheSockMonster · 20/12/2020 08:31

That is really rubbish. I’m not a Boris fan, but I don’t think it was a decision he wanted to make and they seem to have learnt that only very simple rules get followed properly.

I bet lots of Christmas Day workers will still see family as planned on the 26th. If they don’t see additional people on the 25th, I can’t see how the risk is heightened and I don’t see police enforcing it.

CherryPavlova · 20/12/2020 08:31

Our daughter and boyfriend are GPs and then working straight through doing locum work in a hospice. They had planned for this (albeit not called tier four) because like many in healthcare they saw it coming. They’re fine about it because for them nothing has changed.

Original poster

LittleMissLockdown · 20/12/2020 08:38

Bet the govt hadn’t even considered it.

I suspect you're right and they probably didn't.

or even knock it down to 3, Christmas Eve. Christmas Day or Boxing Day but I suppose that makes it harder to police. Not that it is likely to be policed. It's a kick in the teeth for the people who have probably worked the most this year and in the most dangerous situations.

We were hoping it would be dropped to 3 days as that way people would be less likely to complain as they would be able to have at least one of the other days off.

Are they on zero hour contracts so can say they don’t want the work?

They are not on zero hours contracts but many of the staff are temps as so often happens in care. Sadly whilst there is procedures which could be implemented for disciplinary if they don't turn up there really isn't much they can do on the day.

OP posts:

SingingWaffleDoggy · 20/12/2020 08:41

Providing you are following the guidance in all other ways I wouldn’t see a problem with swapping it to Boxing Day for example. I’m sure they can’t begrudge the key workers their day.
Fair enough, I wouldn’t have it days before or after but providing everyone in your chosen bubble celebrate exclusively on that day I’d hope you wouldn’t be penalized.
Thinking of those in the new tier 4 whose plans have been scrapped completely.

AaronPurr · 20/12/2020 08:48

Providing you are following the guidance in all other ways I wouldn’t see a problem with swapping it to Boxing Day for example.

I would agree, although for those who live on my street they'd have the added worry of a nosy curtain twitcher who would take great delight in reporting those breaking the rules. Unfortunately I doubt we're the only street with one.

Original poster

LittleMissLockdown · 20/12/2020 09:12

The people most likely to be working Christmas day are 'our heroes' in the NHS. The government has just taken a massive shit on all of them.

That's the general mood in our house this morning. DH might not be NHS but he's not stopped throughout the entire pandemic and it's looking increasingly likely he will be doing the entire shift on Christmas day.

The saddest thing for him though is not missing Christmas day but that his residents don't understand why their plans now have to change last minute. He's anticipating the day is likely going to be fraught with challenging behaviour.

the added worry of a nosy curtain twitcher who would take great delight in reporting those breaking the rules. Unfortunately I doubt we're the only street with one.

We have one of those next door...

OP posts:

AaronPurr · 20/12/2020 09:33

it's looking increasingly likely he will be doing the entire shift on Christmas day.

I'm really sorry OP, it's a shit situation.

Marina26 · 20/12/2020 10:07

Just posting to say I'm in a similar situation, my sister was planning to come for Christmas lunch on Christmas eve. I'm a nurse and she's a doctor and we're both working on Christmas day. Obviously this would be instead of Christmas day mixing, not as well. So I'm really hoping over the next few days they will say you can move it to a different day! Surely the risk is the same as if we happened to be both at work Christmas eve, and met on Christmas day instead

Coasterfan · 20/12/2020 10:34

In this situation I would just do it, I can’t see why the risk is any different doing it on Boxing Day for those working xmas day. It’s not going to be policed. The reason the government have made it one day rather than three is to stop travelling and staying over I assume. My mum is 3 hours away, no way would I be doing there and back all in one day with no alcohol as I d be driving. We weren’t anyway we are just staying home the four of us and always were, but had these been my plans I would have cancelled, giving my mum 4 less contacts, 4 less chances of her catching it. I assume that’s the government’s logic but who knows...

TheFairyCaravan · 20/12/2020 10:39

I have raised this with my MP because DS2 and DDIL were supposed to be coming for Christmas Eve as they’re both nurses and working on Christmas Day. She said she’s raised it with Matt Hancock. It seems desperately unfair that those who are working on Christmas Day don’t get to have a Christmas at all.

CoolShoeshine · 20/12/2020 10:40

I would just do it - celebrate together on one of the days. Same difference. Really astounded that the government didn’t make an exception for essential Christmas Day workers.

PattyPan · 20/12/2020 10:45

It’s so shit and I definitely agree there should have been provision for people working on Christmas.
I’m a key worker (but work from home, so not even high risk) and in tier 4 now so can’t see anyone for Christmas even though I got the time off. I didn’t take time off in the summer and was hoping this would be my chance :(

Original poster

LittleMissLockdown · 20/12/2020 10:52

I'm so sorry to hear that others are in this situation too. I'm thinking we will try and do something on Christmas eve or boxing day if possible but sadly grumpy neighbour is absolutely the type of person who would report us meeting up with family, so hopefully the police wouldn't actually care.

OP posts:

Lulu1919 · 20/12/2020 11:33

I know a family in this situation....had planned a family Xmas day on Boxing Day
The non resident part of the family are going to sit in the garden to watch gift opening etc

StealthPolarBear · 20/12/2020 11:36

I'm not affected but completely agree

Babyroobs · 20/12/2020 11:47

@Marina26

Common sense would surely say you can just move the day. No -one is going to be checking.

ArosAdraDrosDolig · 20/12/2020 11:50

We had planned our meet up for the 27th due to key workers in the family. Also have busybody neighbours. It stinks.

Original poster

LittleMissLockdown · 20/12/2020 12:46

I'm not affected but completely agree

Thank you, it means a lot to see others feel similar. I honestly thought I would get called selfish, unreasonable and an assortment of other names for daring to think it didn't seem fair. You know what this place can be like sometimes.

We had planned our meet up for the 27th due to key workers in the family. Also have busybody neighbours. It stinks.

Sorry to hear you also have neighbours with nothing better to do. I'm sure ours is loving pretending to be some sort of spy.

OP posts:

Vivana · 20/12/2020 12:52

I work in a care home and working Xmas eve and day and boxing day.

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