Birthday

[Anonymous]

Do you expect to have the day off on your birthday? If your birthday falls on a weekend, do you like/expect to have a three day weekend?

There seem to be some generational differences on this practice, but I’m curious what others think and what their experiences have been (plus your age). Also, how do you feel about it if you are a manager of others at work? How do you handle it?

I am gen X and it would never have occurred to me to expect a day off for my birthday. I am judgmental of those who expect it and I think it seems remarkably childish.

[Anonymous]

I am Gen x and I don’t take day off cause kids are at school, and I need my leave anyway. But I wouldn’t feel bitter or begrudge someone who decide to take annual leave for their bithrday. What is it to you anyway if they use their leave and when?

[Anonymous]

…and if it’s a perk at your workplace to get a “day off” on employees birthdays, then by all means use it. Why wouldn’t you use it, if others are.

[Anonymous]

I’m
Gen x and I don’t “ expect” it off. I might use my leave to take the day off if I wanted to though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m
Gen x and I don’t “ expect” it off. I might use my leave to take the day off if I wanted to though.

Same. Sometimes I take a vacation day for it, but not always. Definitely not an expectation (I’m a teacher, there’s no way we would get that as a benefit)

[Anonymous]

The 20-somethings in my office seem to take off for birthdays, nobody else, and we range from 20-something to 60-something (I'm in the middle).

[Anonymous]

If you’re talking about people using their earned leave, so what if it’s on a birthday. Many people take trips for their birthdays.

Mine and my husbands are on holidays, so we do expect our birthdays off, though. We also married on a holiday so we also expect anniversaries off.

[Anonymous]

I'm a millennial, don't expect or particularly care if I have it off or not. I work shifts so sometimes I can arrange to just have it be one of my off days that week.

I don't particularly care if people prioritize having it off or not.

[Anonymous]

Op here, I should have been more specific. I’ve been speaking with friends who are managers (I’m self-employed and don’t manage others so doesn’t apply to me) where the GenZ employees expect it as an *extra* day off.
And for example, even if there is a time sensitive project that their team is working on where it would be expected that people would typically not take vacation time, they will still take the day off because “it’s their birthday”, and they feel entitled to not work on that day, regardless of impact on others professionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here, I should have been more specific. I’ve been speaking with friends who are managers (I’m self-employed and don’t manage others so doesn’t apply to me) where the GenZ employees expect it as an *extra* day off.
And for example, even if there is a time sensitive project that their team is working on where it would be expected that people would typically not take vacation time, they will still take the day off because “it’s their birthday”, and they feel entitled to not work on that day, regardless of impact on others professionally.

You and your friends forgot how being young is.

[Anonymous]

Got at least 25 years, Cisco systems has been giving employees a day off on their birthday. I think they can take it anytime? But it’s 8hrs free leave. (They recently went to unlimited leave so this is moot now, but employees are expected to be gone.)

In addition to my 5 weeks vacation my
Company also gives volunteer leave. I take 8 hours volunteer leave on my birthday weekend. This year it fell on a Monday. For me it’s a reminder to volunteer (I should do more; but no excuses). And I personally hate that they announce your birthday and would end up getting get 25 “HBD” in the slack chat.

I’m 45.

[Anonymous]

I'm Gen X. First time I ever heard of someone taking off for their birthday was in a govt office - a boomer admin declared it was a thing. Since then I've seen folks take their birthday off spread across a wide age range, but mostly women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here, I should have been more specific. I’ve been speaking with friends who are managers (I’m self-employed and don’t manage others so doesn’t apply to me) where the GenZ employees expect it as an *extra* day off.
And for example, even if there is a time sensitive project that their team is working on where it would be expected that people would typically not take vacation time, they will still take the day off because “it’s their birthday”, and they feel entitled to not work on that day, regardless of impact on others professionally.

You are still confusing two things.

If they are taking their own earned PTO, they can take it for whatever they want. People have plans during busy work times: I don't hold with the "you can't take off because we're busy" thinking. We're always busy with something.

If they want extra PTO for their birthday, like it's a paid holiday, then no that's not how the professional world usually works.

[Anonymous]

You are still confusing two things.

If they are taking their own earned PTO, they can take it for whatever they want. People have plans during busy work times: I don't hold with the "you can't take off because we're busy" thinking. We're always busy with something.

If they want extra PTO for their birthday, like it's a paid holiday, then no that's not how the professional world usually works.

This. I'm Gen X. We get a set number of vacation days that we can use as we please. I have occasionally taken a vacation day on my birthday. Expecting additional vacation time for free is unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

My birthday is over the holidays, so I am typically off anyways. That said, if it wasn't, I probably would take the day anyways.

My family made a big deal of birthdays growing up and now I just spend it as a 'me' day, eating whatever I want, doing something fun with my partner, etc. I don't think it's odd to choose to use PTO for this purpose. I do think it's strange to expect this to be a 'given' holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving.