Should people with children have preference for time off over Christmas

[liaconn]

This used to be a bone of contention in previous places I have worked.
It never comes up as an issue in my current workplace despite several staff having young children.

Personally I think everyone's life outside of work should be treated with respect and time off over Christmas should be organised on a fair rota basis.

 

[Purple]

No, people with Children shouldn't get preference for time off over Christmas.

 

[Sunny]

I don' think anyone should get preference but I know that when I was young and single, I was flexible around Christmas when it came to working so people from down the Country and people with families could go home. I was only going to the pub so made no real difference to me working until 5pm on Christmas Eve while other people went home at lunchtime or had the day off. It was my Christmas gift to them and it was appreciated by many people. I was never short of people willing to cover for me when I needed it.

I wouldn't agree with anyone asking to be treated differently or to assume they are entitled to time off but I would like to think that people are still pretty understanding about it.

 

[liaconn]

I used to be very flexible years ago so that people who lived down the country would not have to come back to Dublin between Christmas and New Year to sit in a cold flat miles away from their family. I never really minded, but it was annoying when some people would come back after Christmas and then immediately start booking days off around St Patrick's day and Easter without any thought for the people who had cut short their Christmas to provide cover at work.

 

[Sunny]

I used to be very flexible years ago so that people who lived down the country would not have to come back to Dublin between Christmas and New Year to sit in a cold flat miles away from their family. I never really minded, but it was annoying when some people would come back after Christmas and then immediately start booking days off around St Patrick's day and Easter without any thought for the people who had cut short their Christmas to provide cover at work.

I agree with that. Worked with one woman who assumed she was entitled to holidays everytime the schools were off. She was convinced she was the only parent in the world and the rest of us didn't understand.

 

[Bronco Lane]

I used to be very flexible years ago so that people who lived down the country would not have to come back to Dublin between Christmas and New Year to sit in a cold flat miles away from their family. I never really minded, but it was annoying when some people would come back after Christmas and then immediately start booking days off around St Patrick's day and Easter without any thought for the people who had cut short their Christmas to provide cover at work.

A big problem where I used to work. Same country people every year grabbing the Christmas days. As you say these people had a very short memory. Same people would ring in sick on the Friday before a bank holiday weekend.