Vacation at Christmas?

[dgs49]

I sit here in an office with about 500 cubicles (over four floors), and my car is one of only five (5) in the entire parking lot. The lighting over my area keeps going out, as the motion sensors fail to detect any motion. It is Christmas Eve Eve - the Friday before Christmas.

Some people like to go on vacation at Christmas time. They go to visit relatives in far off places, or go skiing, or off to a warmer climate to sun themselves on a beach.

If you have kids, I suppose it may be necessary to take some pre-Christmas time off to do Christmas gift assembly or wrapping, or whatever.

But most of my co-workers are taking vacation days because they have not taken all their vacation during the first 50 weeks of 2011, and will lose those days if they don't take them now. My wife is in that group, sitting at home, puttering around and occasionally checking for work-related E-mails. She gets 5 weeks vacation plus a couple personal holidays. I get 3 wks + 2PH.

Not to be unkind, but taking "forced" vacation in late December is stupid. You only get a limited number of days of vacation. Why not take them when the sun is shining and the ambient temperature allows you to have fun outside? Heavens, it is even possible to plan most of your vacation in advance, so that you don't get stuck taking vacation now.

Some of my co-workers are surprised that I'm working this time of year, and think me odd for doing so. (They are grateful in a way, because they don't have to come in to make sure someone is "manning the store." But I can spend as much time as I want with family and friends on the actual holidays and weekends - even in the evening on working days! Why should I waste valuable vacation time now?

Merry Christmas! Happy holiday!

Hope you are reading this at the office!

[dales]

No, I'm reading it at home.

[Liberty1]

I'm at the office, and I'll be in next Thursday and Friday as well. I get 5 weeks of vacation a year, and can roll over 1 years worth into the next. With the programs I'm running I have been unable to use all of my "use it or lose it time", I had 294 hours as of Dec 1. I was able to get the unusual (for here) vacation buy out approved, so next week I'll at least have an extra 6K or so in my paycheck.

Didn't get to go visit my sister or mom this year, or my sister in law and my neices and nephews.

[loCAtek]

While I don't work in an office, my company isn't giving vacations; they just closed for two weeks, and aren't paying anybody anything

[BoSoxGal]

I don't take vacation time at Christmas. It is outrageously expensive to fly this time of year, and it is too likely to end up with a ruined vacation due to weather delays on flights. It is also a terrifically quiet time to get caught up on work at the office - the phone has only rung a few times today, and there is no court today.

I have Monday off and the Monday following, which are federal holidays. I will enjoy those days off, because I am not allowed to bank holidays toward vacation time in this job (bummer).

I've been planning to go someplace warm in March, but just learned I'll be going to Savannah, GA for a training on my boss's dime in March, so I'm still uncertain about my next vacation.

[dgs49]

Savannah in MARCH???!!

Savannah has a HUGE St Patrick's day celebration.

If you are into that sort of thing.

[BoSoxGal]

I'll be there post-St. Patrick's Day - but it's hard to believe their celebration rivals the one in Butte, Montana. The mines attracted a huge Irish population which remains to this day, and the entire town becomes one great big party.

[The Hen]

This is my first recreation leave since I took a week off in January.

As you may know, I have taken six weeks off. What you may not know is it only cost me ten days leave.

Why?

In the Aussie Public Service the unions have ensured we can take 'flex-time' leave. I can accrue time spent over and above my 'normal' working hours and take leave when it suits me.

It suited me well to take part of my many hours when I took this break.

When I get back to work, I will still have five flex days owing to me, as well as 38 recreation days and 5 1/2 months long service leave.

Although the unions in Australia have ensured that all workers in the 'Service' can access such leave, it is not usual to do so to the extent I have been allowed to.

(You aren't usually meant to accrue more than 10 hours of flex credit. I was given permission to accrue 160 hours. Yay. Hard work does pay off!)

[Gob]

I too have had no leave since January 11. I did have 2 1/2 months paid sick leave following my bike smash, but it was hardly leave, (despite enjoying the wonderful company of Sean, SMF and Pud during it.)

Our hand was somewhat forced to take this leave now, as Hatch is at college, and this is her long summer break, but so far it's worked out just fine. It make a change from Xmas BBQ's on the beach!!

[The Hen]

Don't forget, I also have my Ministers on their summer break for six weeks. This way, they won't even realize I am not there to tend to their needs.

[Liberty1]

If they can do without you for that long, sounds like you're not needed.


Just sayin.

[Gob]

Really? If they cannot do without you for any length of time then your organisation is built on an insecure structure.

The fact that staff are looked after to a degree which promotes their health, well being, lifestyle, and personal circumstance is good for the firm and the individual, so everyone gains.

[The Hen]

Whatever you reckon Liberty.

Ho Ho Ho.

[BoSoxGal]

That's a stupid observation, IMHO, Liberty1.

My legal assistant went on maternity leave for 12 weeks this past spring/summer. We hired a temp and survived without her, but I felt her absence every single day that she was gone. She is part of my team, she really knows how things work and it was fantastic when she got back and could put right all the little things that went wrong in her absence.

Just because an employer survives in an employee's absence does not mean they are dispensable.

[Rick]

Fri and Mon are Holidays for me after that I'm on use it or lose it.

My job does not pay as well as many but I get a day off just about every time the wind blows.

Unfortunately the wife does not...

[Jarlaxle]

Actually, by definition, it does mean they are dispensible!

When my uncle was working, the place would have collapsed in six months without him...he knew it, his boss damned well knew it, and he was paid accordingly!

[Rick]

I was told by a former employer that an employee was indispensable when they could stick their hand in a bucket of water and when they pull their hand out it leaves an imprint.

[alice]

I worked 24 December, but I have the time between Christmas Day and new Years off - I go back 3 January. My Army son is here and we are our own little 'family' again, so I am enjoying it. I alos have some interstate rellies passing through my area briefly - they were with us Christmas Day, so that made it even more fun ... and hectic!

I was working 13 hour days (eating lunch 'on the run') in the weeks building up to Christmas, while trying to fit in Christmas shopping and all the preparations for the festivities and the visitors etc. And when I get back I'll be working a few long days catching back up - sometimes the work doesn't stop just because you do!! But I think it's been worth it

I've heard the 'bucket of water' saying - I really like it. I often feel like my role is like a cog in a wheel. I might think I'm a very important cog, but the reality is that the day I leave my job, I will be easily replaced, and the wheel won't even pause in motion. Some of the people I work with will, I hope, miss my contributions, but overall I'll gradually fade into that distant memory of 'so-and-so who used to work here' ... and the wheel will keep on turning.