In other countries, schedules are so much more humane, both to coordinate with school schedules (our kids' schools are closed the week between Christmas and New Year's) and to accommodate reasonable holidays that people would take anyway (e.g. Friday after Thanksgiving).
Last year, Christmas was on a Wednesday. That was the only day my office was closed. I had NO childcare on Tuesday (Christmas Eve), so I brought my child to work and was reprimanded even though there was NOTHIN' going on, and most people were out of the office (I had used up all my leave). Ditto the day after Christmas. I called in sick on Friday.
I'm in the private sector, which you'd think could be more flexible. And if we complain about the stupidity of coming in just to come in, people say, "Be grateful you have a job."
Bah, humbug. We can do better, America. Our children deserve it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: People are never satisfied. Feds also get to carry over more leave than most companies. Use it.

Don't have any leave due to maternity leave.

But you got to use that leave for what you wanted. Some employers do not give paid leave for the birth of a child. I agree some people are never satisfied.

So your employer won't let you use vacation time after the birth of a child? Because that's what we do as Feds. Save our vacation time for maternity leave. I find unbelievable that you wouldn't be able to do that in the private sector. Oh wait, my private sector friends also got 6 weeks of short term disability. Doesn't happen in the govt.

DP, I hope you know that not all private sector jobs provide paid maternity leave.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No sense thinking about it now. The decision almost always comes down to the wire. Not sure why--pr purposes, maybe? Put in for annual leave and if the extra holiday actually happens your leave will be restored.

OP here. I won't be able to spend time with my family (who isn't local) on Christmas unless we get the day off. I'm required to be at work and can't take annual leave.

Find another job. Once you find another job, you will find issues there as well. You are asking for the entire system to be changed due to your personal circumstances.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: People are never satisfied. Feds also get to carry over more leave than most companies. Use it.

Don't have any leave due to maternity leave.

But you got to use that leave for what you wanted. Some employers do not give paid leave for the birth of a child. I agree some people are never satisfied.

So your employer won't let you use vacation time after the birth of a child? Because that's what we do as Feds. Save our vacation time for maternity leave. I find unbelievable that you wouldn't be able to do that in the private sector. Oh wait, my private sector friends also got 6 weeks of short term disability. Doesn't happen in the govt.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wish I could sympathize but I work for a company that DOES give the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas off, but does not give Columbus Day or Veterans Day off. Great, right? Except that forces us to find alternate care for our child since their daycare is also closed on those holidays but not the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Grass isn't always greener.

I'm a fed contractor and most of the contractors have the option to trade Columbus/Veterans Days for Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, so I do that. My wife, the fed, does not have that option. Instead, she watches the kids on Columbus and Veterans Day while I work and I watch the kids on the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve while she works.

How is trading holidays an option if you work in a fed building? You aren't allowed in when they are closed.

Depends on the agency and the contract. Since I have an array of work that can be done outside the regular work day schedule, I have the approval of the COTR to work off hours. Because of that, I have access to the work-site when the agency is closed. However, this particular switch is pretty common with contractors at our facility and so on those two holidays, quite a lot of contractors come on-site to work.

I prefer working XMas eve, day after thanksgiving, etc. Office is quiet, I can get my files in order, and I can turn down holiday travel, which I hate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wish I could sympathize but I work for a company that DOES give the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas off, but does not give Columbus Day or Veterans Day off. Great, right? Except that forces us to find alternate care for our child since their daycare is also closed on those holidays but not the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Grass isn't always greener.

I'm a fed contractor and most of the contractors have the option to trade Columbus/Veterans Days for Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, so I do that. My wife, the fed, does not have that option. Instead, she watches the kids on Columbus and Veterans Day while I work and I watch the kids on the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve while she works.

How is trading holidays an option if you work in a fed building? You aren't allowed in when they are closed.

Glad Christmas is on a Thursday this year, I telework on Fridays. With that being said, the day after Thanksgiving is never an issue