working holidays

We have a four-year rotating schedule, so we know four years out which days we're working on holidays. We have day before/day of/day after New Year's, Christmas, and Thanksgiving and also Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day. So one year you may work Day before New Year's, July 4, Thanksgiving, and day after Christmas. Next year would maybe be New Year's Day, Labor Day, day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. But no one gets stuck working all the holidays on the day.

Did you specifically ask off for any of the holidays? Some people like working the holidays, so if you didn't request to have any of them off, they may have just assumed you wanted to work it. I actually had this schedule as well for this holiday season even though I did request one of them off, and in a nut shell, I told them I would not be doing that and had it switched.

Just wondering what everyone's experience is about working the holidays as a full time staff nurse. I worked Thanksgiving this year and am also scheduled for Christmas, New Years Eve and New Years Day. I believe this is excessive. I understand working holidays and I know we all have to, and I don't usually mind, but 3 major holidays in a row is a bit much. I've been at my job almost 2 years now, so I'm not even the "youngest" so to speak on my shift. I also worked Christmas Eve and New Years last year. My hospital doesn't have a specific policy about full time employee holiday requirements, just one on per diem employees. So that's why I'm asking for a little bit of advice on here, to see what others are expected to work and if I am justified in thinking that expecting a person to work 3 holidays in a row is excessive.

In most cases, I agree that it's unjust ...but as the others have asked, did you make your wishes known? If everyone else requested off, you didn't, and there's no holiday policy, you're going to get scheduled.

I requested Christmas off, it was denied and I was scheduled anyway. I didn't request thanksgiving or New Years, so I'm not upset about working those. I'm mainly upset that the one holiday I requested off I get scheduled, making it 3 holidays in a row that I've worked.

Everywhere I have worked, FT and PT staff have worked alternate holidays.

Either we work Thanksgiving AND New Year's, OR Christmas. Where I am now, Christmas Eve and Day are "Christmas" -- we work both or off both. That way every other year, we're free to actually make out-of-town plans.

I don't mind working holidays, and my kids have gotten the "count our blessings" speech if they complain about me working. But I would be completely unwilling to work BOTH Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We have a set pattern we work every other holiday during the year. With Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve added.

So one year you work thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, & New Year's Day. The next year Christmas Day and New Years Eve. It's fair and it works.

The only thing that is bad is you can never travel on Christmas or New Years because you have to work either the day or the Eve. You cannot request vacation and good luck finding someone who wants to work both your day and their day.

Usually it is alternating holidays most places. Maybe ask for the rational for scheduling you to work all those holidays. Like the others have said, it all depends on your facilities policy or lack thereof.

I hear you.

I'm working the same schedule. We put in our holiday choices, only for mine to be completely ignored.

I've worked every holiday on our Hospital schedule (and I'm PT) since I've been off orientation - July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Xmas eve now, etc. -NM asked our 6 preferences for the holidays season.

Somehow, I received no preference.

I just got another job, start at the end of January. Bonus? I don't work holidays.

So, I hear you. Employers should just go the alternating holidays route; seems easier and fairer.