Holiday Pay Policy

Nurses General Nursing

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Recently, there has been a change in holiday pay policy where I work. Instead of being paid for the actual holiday worked, only staff working on the observed holiday will be paid at a holiday rate. It's become an issue this year because the July 4th holiday falls on a Sunday, but is federally recognized on the 5th.

What are your thoughts? Should nurses be paid for working the actual holiday since hospitals are open 24/7, or should they be paid for the observed holiday?

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

In my facility, nurses get holiday pay only if they're working the actual holiday--the observed holiday doesn't count for extra pay.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

what holiday pay? I will be working for regular pay, short-staffed and 'enjoying' the free wiener the cafeteria will be giving out to us.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

At my old job I got regularly screwed. The holiday was paid starting on the night shift of the actual holiday (7pm) so, for example, holiday pay would start at 7pm this Saturday and continue until 7pm on the 4th. My ogre of a boss would always schedule me off the night before the holiday and schedule me to work the night of the holiday so I never got any holiday pay but essentially worked all of them. When I asked her to maybe fix that she went ahead and scheduled me to work both nights! Everybody else usually got scheduled for the night before but not the night of. Of course I couldn't complain since I did ask to work but my expectation was that I would be scheduled like everybody else. Boy was I wrong. Needless to say I didn't stick around long especially since that wasn't the only scheduling malarky that she would pull on me.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
what holiday pay? I will be working for regular pay, short-staffed and 'enjoying' the free wiener the cafeteria will be giving out to us.

I'm jealous. I'm working without holiday pay and no wiener. Not short staffed though. Docs discharge all the pts so they can enjoy the holiday. Goody for them.

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That's the union difference. Under our contract as long as we have worked the full pay period one day will be specified as a holiday nearest to the observed holiday. I am working the 4th and scheduled off the 5th so I will be paid holiday premium on Sun. (PT workers have to work the holiday to earn the premium pay.)

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My HHC agency isn't recognizing Monday as a holiday. It's just business as usual. As for pay, I do have paid holidays but they are lumped together with personal days in one big PTO bank. The only staff that are "required" to use PTO for the 4th are ones that the holiday falls on their typical weekend to work, but they're not working because they're supposed to be off the 4th. I haven't decided if I like this policy or not. I kind of liked the days of working the holiday for double pay, then throw in some OT and some of those checks were pretty nice, especially around Christmas. :)

But, I digress. To answer the original question, I honestly don't see how it makes a difference which day is the paid holiday. Unless of course Sun and Mon fall on different pay periods.

Edit: I didn't realize some people only get holiday pay if they actually work the holiday. Every place I've worked before now, I got 8 hours holiday pay with or without working, then just straight time on top of that for working that day.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Since Independance Day falls on Sunday, our company is paying holiday pay for the 5th. Nurses and CNA's can work or reschedule visits (if o.k. with the family). I am going to see my pts. in the pm as usual so I'll get 8 hours holiday pay plus straight time for the actual hours worked. The one who gets shafted is the nurse on call for the weekend because it is straight call pay.....and for once it's not me.

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The only holiday our hospital pays holiday pay for is Christmas day.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

Wow, I didn't realize how I good I have it (union).

If I work on on holiday, I get double time. Except Christmas, Labor Day and Easter Friday double time and a half. Yep 2.5 regular pay.

If someone is a FT or PT regular employee, but doesn't work on the holiday, they still get it paid at straight time.

And this is everyone in the union. LPNs, care-aides, dietary staff, housekeepers, computer people. No sick calls on holidays :)

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Our pay is literally the 24hrs, midnight to midnight, of the holiday. Pay benefit is only like 2 or 2.5$/hr, but you get an additional 7.5hrs to tack onto a paycheck (doesn't add towards getting overtime though), and everybody who works that week gets it, as long as you don't call out ANYTIME that week for any reason.

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ED, Nurse Instructor,.
I failed to mention I don't get holiday pay because I am PRN. Another reason I think I will call in. :D

I thought if you worked you get paid for any holiday pay. I didnt know a person work status matter. I work prn also and get holiday pay if I decide to work. This dont sound fair. I guess each facility is different. If that is the case I wouldnt work holidays.

Some prn positions do have have some weekend and holiday requirements. I work prn in a central resource pool. I am required to work one weekend a month. One group a holiday such as memorial day, fourth of july, labor day, or thanksgiving. Second group such as Christmas or New Years Day. Third group one hard to fill day such as Easter, Mothers Day, Valentines Day, Halloween, or Day after Thanksgiving. I choose one out of each group. It pretty easy and simple. I really enjoy this prn pool.

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I get 1.5 time for working on July 4th. My last job would have been comp time for working the 5th.

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