Jingle what-its

This year I have to work Christmas day. When I was hired they told me up front that I would be working that day and I needed to know that before accepting the position. My kids are older and I did discuss it with them. They were okay with it. They are both old enough to have had to work day before, day after holidays. They get it.

However, I was also told that I would NOT have to work that day next year. Wow... These folks were enlightened enough to ROTATE holidays. That was great to know up front.

Wow.. I do NOT understand not rotating holiday schedules. Which means to me, being fair to all the employees in a section regardless of seniority. Most working people know that when you begin a job, you probably won't get a choice of working or not working the holiday time during the first year. While there are exceptions, most reasonable people understand if they have one holiday off, they will probably work that day or day before/after next year. But when you are continually on the bottom of the pile with no hope of having a fair chance at those holidays, that can be a deal breaker so to speak. Retention rates probably are an indication.

For me, working the holidays hasn't been and probably won't ever be a life or death issue, but I do know being fair about who has to work the holidays is. It is those 'little' issues that can make a huge difference to most of us working folks.