Do you think this is fair?

[bigmona]

I'm in the weekend program at work, and work every single weekened. I only work Sat & Sun, so I am considered part time. We have 4 weekenders on my unit, and as a result, the rest of the regular staff only end up having to work maybe 1 weekend shift every 1.5-2 months.

Since I'm a weekend person, I get the higher weekend rate. If a holiday happens to fall on a weekend, I have to work it, and I do NOT get time and a half like the rest of the staff, because I'm already paid at "a higher rate"- but when you do the math, the regular staff are making more hourly than me on holidays.

Not only do I have to work these holidays at my regular rate, I am not allowed to request vacation time if it's a holiday.

So basically, I don't make any extra working on a holiday, I don't have an extra holiday requirement because I'm part time weekend staff, but I'm denied any requests to take a holiday off because "that's not allowed". Does that seem right to you? It seems to me that since I don't make holiday pay and don't have an extra holiday requirement like the rest of the staff, I should be allowed to take the holiday off if I request it (not to mention I have #2 seniority on this unit). Also, as a result, a lot of regular staff get out of working a weekend holiday because the weekend people have already filled in most of the slots.

I have to admit, I have a "thing" for when a situation seems unfair and get worked up about it- but am open to someone else's input and perspective to tell me I am looking at things incorrectly. My manager does not seem to understand where I'm coming from. It's hard when I have NO family time because I'm working every weekend, and then I miss out on family time during a holiday too because it happens to fall on a weekend. And no, I don't think anyone would willingly switch with me to work on a holiday.

[sunnycalifRN]

The hospital where I work does not pay time and a half for holidays to anyone.

Different facilities have different policies. You can't assume that because XYZ Healthcare handled things one way that ABC Health Systems will follow suit. It's important to scope out the details when deciding whether or not to take a new job.

*clip*

Ditto. Where I work, holiday pay is straight time, too.

[sicushells, RN]

Salaried employees do not receive compensation for overtime and holidays, so they are not required to work them.

I just wanted to point out that this isn't the case. Salaried employees work extra quite a bit. Our nursing manager works extra all the time when we need someone extra for staffing, because then the hospital doesn't have to pay someone else overtime.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Sorry if some of you thought that my post was insensitive, but I think that it is quite self-centered for a weekender (already getting plenty of great perks year-round as it is - lots more money and a set schedule) to expect regular staff to cover holiday weekends that they would like to be off. Weekenders aren't the only people that want to be at home on weekends and holidays with their families - regular staff want those things too. When regular staff work they get paid a lot less to do so and don't choose their schedule (the way that a weekender does). You can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't have all the benefits while others have none. You have to take some bad with the good. Christmas and New Years are falling on Saturdays this year - many years they will be falling on weekdays. Those years weekenders won't have to work almost any major holidays at all, while regular staff will be required to cover several holidays.

Of course, those who get paid more often do not have benefits - insurance, vacation time, pensions, and the like. That's why they get paid more - because they don't get benefits.

There's always a trade-off.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Ditto. Where I work, holiday pay is straight time, too.

me, too. Never got paid more than straight time. Firefighters get 1.5 or double pay in some locales. Go figure.