Forced Work Christmas Day

job seeker

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm self employed at the moment, but I've worked various jobs, from small to large companies. And I've worked Christmas days.


Without trying to sound big-headed, I'm a fantastic employee. I work quite hard at things I've to do and I make an effort. However; I don't accept being treated like a school child in return.


To give an example: If I say I won't be in on Xmas day, then you can roster me if you want, but I won't be in, and you already knew that.


And if I'm not rostered in, don't ring me. Because it's not my problem and I don't want to know. When I'm at work, I'm at work, and I will work very, very hard to be the absolute best I can. But when I'm at home, I don't want to hear about work, see work or be involved in work.


Thankfully most places I've worked have actually appreciated my honesty and acting like an adult. I only ever left one job on bad terms.


Now that I'm self employed, I'm always at work. There's no real 'off days' because you're always doing something relating to work. But that's very different to being an employee. If a manager can't respect his employees wishes then he's a bad manager, simply because there's no company out there that should struggle for staff on Christmas Day.


If you don't have people volunteering it's because you're either a prick and people won't help you out because of spite, or failing that, it's because you're expecting them to do it with little in return.



If you offer decent money, or something good in return, you'll always get someone to do it (or someone who will swap with someone who doesn't want to do it) same as you'll always get people wanting Sundays in retail for the extra money, etc.

This!

I don't bring my work home with me..

Christmas is a very big deal for some people. I would flat out refuse to work Christmas day. Although my company doesn't treat their staff very well. Therefore, I'd have no issue calling sick with a dose of the skits.

I also have family who travel from America for Christmas, so my only plan at Christmas is to be decorating my Christmas cake! :pac:

Shanotheslayer

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Then don't have a job that might require Christmas Day working..I'm sure there's plenty of the immigrants everyone complains about, that would be very happy to have the job... We have little to complain about..

You mean immigrants that likely left there family and would have no family to celebrate christmas with?

Some people can't just change jobs like you say. Student etc.

Paul_Mc1988

Was in a similar position last year to you OP. Had been with the company for a few years and every year there was a fight to get it off as a holiday and every year i worked it without issue. Just before December last year I was being moved job role due to high performance but with no extra pay rise and a move to another area with different work hours. I was rosterd to work Christmas eve,day and Steven's day. Needless to day I was sick for the whole thing. Had never had a sick day previous so there was nothing they could do. Just call in sick and enjoy your Christmas.

CiarraiAbu2

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

Was in a similar position last year to you OP. Had been with the company for a few years and every year there was a fight to get it off as a holiday and every year i worked it without issue. Just before December last year I was being moved job role due to high performance but with no extra pay rise and a move to another area with different work hours. I was rosterd to work Christmas eve,day and Steven's day. Needless to day I was sick for the whole thing. Had never had a sick day previous so there was nothing they could do. Just call in sick and enjoy your Christmas.

What about the poor prick who gets the phone call asking to work instead.

Dav010

job seeker wrote: »

This!

I don't bring my work home with me..

Christmas is a very big deal for some people. I would flat out refuse to work Christmas day. Although my company doesn't treat their staff very well. Therefore, I'd have no issue calling sick with a dose of the skits.

I also have family who travel from America for Christmas, so my only plan at Christmas is to be decorating my Christmas cake! :pac:

Presumably you would also accept whatever repercussions come your way when you refuse to work or claim illness when you aren’t?

meeeeh

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Now that I'm self employed, I'm always at work. There's no real 'off days' because you're always doing something relating to work. But that's very different to being an employee. If a manager can't respect his employees wishes then he's a bad manager, simply because there's no company out there that should struggle for staff on Christmas Day.


If you don't have people volunteering it's because you're either a prick and people won't help you out because of spite, or failing that, it's because you're expecting them to do it with little in return..

Or maybe you employ people with families and pay them well enough otherwise that they won't want to work on Christmas. Your attitude is that you are above everyone else and what you want is way more important than what your colleagues wanted. As it happens I know a lot of hard working self employed chances who do the job when it suits them and only when it suits them. We avoid them as a plague because they are unreliable and unreliable people are not worth the hassle.

Paul_Mc1988

CiarraiAbu2 wrote: »

What about the poor prick who gets the phone call asking to work instead.

What sort of an idiot answers the phone on Christmas day from work?

Dav010

CiarraiAbu2 wrote: »

What about the poor prick who gets the phone call asking to work instead.

I guess he doesn’t understand that a move due to “high performance” is unusually accompanied by a reward of better pay and conditions, he/she got no pay and was rostered at Christmas. Sounds like a move out rather than up to be honest.

job seeker

Dav010 wrote: »

Presumably you would also accept whatever repercussions come your way when you refuse to work or claim illness when you aren’t?

What's the worst that could happen anyway??? :cool:


(The irony of my username has been pointed out many times too.. )

Paul_Mc1988

job seeker wrote: »

What's the worst that could happen anyway??? :cool:


(The irony of my username has been pointed out many times too.. )

Sweet f**k all

CiarraiAbu2

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

What sort of an idiot answers the phone on Christmas day from work?

The idiot who is not a selfish prick, there are jobs out there where those two days are some of the busiest of the year, especially St Stephens day and I'm not talking about retail.

Dav010

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

Sweet f**k all

You get lots of “high performance” movements with none of the benefits that should go with them, until the penny drops.

meeeeh

Dav010 wrote: »

You get lots of “high performance” movements with none of the benefits that should go with them, until the penny drops.

I admire the manager who managed to sell all this as a promotion.

Dav010

meeeeh wrote: »

I admire the manager who managed to sell all this as a promotion.

Might have been surprisingly easy.

The Jman

Just quit. If you're this lazy and lacking in work ethic go find a job that will let you dictate when you work.

job seeker

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

Sweet f**k all

Exactly!

Dav010

job seeker wrote: »

Exactly!

Have you read his post?

That is what can happen, if you refuse to work then they can let you go, if you call in sick, they know you aren’t and the likelihood of genuine promotion is probably zero.

Fr Tod Umptious

This could pan out a few ways.

When the OP drcides to ring in sick Christmas day the person in charge that day (a person actually working Christmas day) will either go through a list of people they think might be willing and able to come in and cover for the OP at short notice.

Or they may decide that they can work the day with the people they already have in. It will mean a bigger work load for those at work but at least they are not looking to try and find people at short who not scheduled to work.

Either way it's a pain for all involved expect the OP.

Paul_Mc1988

CiarraiAbu2 wrote: »

The idiot who is not a selfish prick, there are jobs out there where those two days are some of the busiest of the year, especially St Stephens day and I'm not talking about retail.

It's nothing to do with public service or frontline services. It's a private company.

Paul_Mc1988

Dav010 wrote: »

You get lots of “high performance” movements with none of the benefits that should go with them, until the penny drops.

The penny dropped when they looked at the metrics. I was well compensated by the new management when the time came to it. Everyone is replaceable but if you're so good that 2 people struggle to do you're job you have a decent bit of power.

Dav010

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

The penny dropped when they looked at the metrics. I was well compensated by the new management when the time came to it. Everyone is replaceable but if you're so good that 2 people struggle to do you're job you have a decent bit of power.

Today was it? Three posts earlier you had no pay rise and had to work Christmas. I think the penny literally just dropped for you.

If you had a decent bit of power, you wouldn’t have been rostered to work Christmas and having to call in sick.

job seeker

Dav010 wrote: »

Have you read his post?

He said:

Sweet f**k all

I took that as, them doing nothing in that situation! :P

Dav010 wrote: »

That is what can happen, if you refuse to work then they can let you go, if you call in sick, they know you aren’t and the likelihood of genuine promotion is probably zero.

If you refuse to work, yes.. However, if you call in sick realistically I can't see much, if anything happen at all (In my situation anyway). It looks too me from reading this thread, a lot of people are living to work.. Why if you're given christmas day off, would you be answering your phone to your employer anyway? Outrageous all together!

I would assume also that the majority of companies consider their employees as just a number anyway! Again, speaking from personal experience. Don't get me wrong there was a time when I would bend over backwards for my employer. However, one day I said enough is enough and haven't done it since! It was a change that benefited both my physical and mental health! Life is far too short!

bmc58

Invisibleman wrote: »

You can’t be forced to do anything unless you agree, if you don’t, get another job

Wow,what a helpful reply to a persons question.Great to see the "Christmas Spirit" emerging early on Boards.

TheValeyard

The responses here from people saying Christmas day is just another day is a load of rubbish. Id hate to work with or for those kind of people. Everyone in Ireland, regardless of religion, knows Christmas is a time for family and friends. Unless you are part of an essential service or willing to work that time, you should be off.

bmc58

Dav010 wrote: »

In a significant proportion of the world, and for a considerable number of both non Christians and Christians here in Ireland, Christmas Day is just like any other day. Problems happen and support services may be necessary.

But what about the people for whom Christmas Day is a special day/What do you suggest they do?

job seeker

bmc58 wrote: »

But what about the people for whom Christmas Day is a special day/What do you suggest they do?

Call in sick!

Strumms

TheValeyard wrote: »

The responses here from people saying Christmas day is just another day is a load of rubbish. Id hate to work with for those kind of people. Everyone in Ireland, regardless of religion, knows Christmas is a time for family and friends. Unless you are part of an essential service or willing to work that time, you should be off.

Exactly. Unfortunately ‘businesses’ have an interest in pushing this mindset onto people. Where we just can’t anymore have ONE day in the year, that traditional day where by and large only certain essential services are needing people.

This guff too “ohh well you can spend another day with your family!” Another day isn’t Christmas.

Dav010

bmc58 wrote: »

But what about the people for whom Christmas Day is a special day/What do you suggest they do?

Don’t accept jobs where you may be rostered to work at Christmas would seem to be the obvious answer.

bmc58

Kimbot wrote: »

Right I'll give another example...... how about Santa brings a mobile phone to a child in your home. They are delighted on Christmas morning they got a new phone however when opened etc it doesnt work. You ring the operator and they are shut because of the holidays. I bet 9 out of 10 people would be fuming they were shut and would complain when they open.

However if they run a small staff in on christmas day they can avoid complaints and just help customers.

As I said, places been open on Christmas day is no new thing at all. When I worked in the shop 23 odd years ago it was not greed on behalf of the owner because for me to work that day I was on 4 times my normal wage and so was the manager that was in the shop with me. We done approx 180 work of sales for the few hours so no way it covered costs etc.

A child that believes in Santa is in my opinion too young to be getting a mobile phone.

bmc58

job seeker wrote: »

Call in sick!

No.Could get you in bother being the day that's in it.Too obvious.