Christmas/New Year's week work policies survey

[Celebrator]

I know, I know, I am as bad as a retailer talking Christmas before Halloween with this thread! But...since the organization I work for (a small non-profit, btw) really never has formed a permanent policy about this and usually makes decisions very last minute, I was asked by my boss to "look into what other organizations do" regarding closure and pay during the week around Christmas and New Year's.

This year with both falling on a Wednesday, I have heard that some offices are simply going to be closed from Dec. 23-Jan.6 because of the chopped up nature of the two work weeks.

So I am curious, what is your organization/business doing this year and what does your organization/business do (in general) every Christmas/New Year's week? Are you always closed for about 10 days? What days are paid vs. non-paid? Do most people burn vacation days sometime during that week most years, etc.

Just thought I would tap the myriad work experiences of folks on this board to get a feel for how it is handled by organizations/businesses of all stripes out there.

Thanks! Oh and Happy Halloween.

[Jeepnokc]

I do not like to be closed. The public has gotten used to being able to going shopping everyday of the year and with banks opening longer hours and weekends, it is just expected. (I run a law firm that specializes in DUI Defense) People get busted and get out of jail worried about their future and they want to talk to a lawyer whether it be Monday or Sunday morning. That being said....happy employees makes for a better work environment. Thus, what we normally and will do this year is that 1/2 of the staff will take off M-W and the other half will take off W-F. Everyone gets to take 5 straight days for the holiday and I still get to be open. We do this a lot with the holidays that fall on Monday where half will take off Friday and the other half on Monday.

All my employees are salary so it is paid time off for them

[FritterGirl]

To me, it depends upon the industry, quite frankly. I've worked for organizations whose employees were expected to be there up until the last minute on Christmas Eve (frankly, a waste if you ask me, but it was the culture of this particular eat-em-up and chew-em-out company.) I've worked for smaller business that had more of a family atmosphere, often offering or closing midweek when the holidays fell on a Wednesday.

The questions your boss needs to ask is:

a) are my services critical / essential at this time of year;
b) will my revenues drop significantly by my being closed;
c) will the work flow still be significant enough to bring my employees in;
d) will my clients experience a lack of service provision if I am not open during this time.

I'd say that every industry is different, and within that, every company is different. Not all operate well under the same umbrella of work flow. Just because retailers are open doesn't mean private businesses should be. Your boss needs to evaluate what is best for his circumstance and what the risk is in closing vs. doing just what others are doing.

[kevinpate]

I do not like to be closed. The public has gotten used to being able to going shopping everyday of the year and with banks opening longer hours and weekends, it is just expected. (I run a law firm that specializes in DUI Defense) People get busted and get out of jail worried about their future and they want to talk to a lawyer whether it be Monday or Sunday morning. That being said....happy employees makes for a better work environment. Thus, what we normally and will do this year is that 1/2 of the staff will take off M-W and the other half will take off W-F. Everyone gets to take 5 straight days for the holiday and I still get to be open. We do this a lot with the holidays that fall on Monday where half will take off Friday and the other half on Monday.

All my employees are salary so it is paid time off for them

That's pretty much how we balanced things when I was with a state agency as well. Certain days were just closed (though except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, it was rare to see a full day where 1-4 or more folks were not working, weekends and most holidays included. Deadlines are deadlines after all, irrespective of being imposed by a court or a politico.) We just worked with each other on who was combining vacation time with holiday time, and when. Monday holidays were often worked, with another day subbed when possible, which turned out to be not all that often. I tend to shake my head anytime I hear about lazy state employees. Definitely was not my experience in that agency during a near two decade observation window.

These days, I run, as an uncle used to say about his practice, my own one stop, one pump, full service station. If someone needs something I don't do, I help them find someone who does what they need. At times, I am the someone for another member of the bar.

Like many in the profession, I'm as apt to be contacted on a Sunday morn as I am a Tuesday afternoon, more apt actually. It goes with the territory. When people make mistakes, or do stupid/dangerous/bad things without considering the ramifications or when bad things happen to good people, there is rarely a clock or a calendar involved in the decision. As Denver once sang, I fiddle when I can and I work when I should. And at times, I enjoy a well deserved nap.

[MadMonk]

As is standard for most corporations I've worked for over the years, we get Christmas day off (if that falls on a weekend, we get the previous or following day off during the week). Many people schedule some vacation time around this date to extend the time away from work. We also are closed on Thanksgiving, but working for a retail establishment, we are open the day after (though its a skeleton crew in my IT deparment). New Years day we are closed as well, but like Christmas day, we are allowed a weekday off if that falls on a weekend.

[kelroy55]

As is standard for most corporations I've worked for over the years, we get Christmas day off (if that falls on a weekend, we get the previous or following day off during the week). Many people schedule some vacation time around this date to extend the time away from work. We also are closed on Thanksgiving, but working for a retail establishment, we are open the day after (though its a skeleton crew in my IT deparment). New Years day we are closed as well, but like Christmas day, we are allowed a weekday off if that falls on a weekend.

That's pretty much the same for me too. I'll be off Christmas and NYD but will be at work otherwise. We do get the Friday after Thanksgiving off.

[bluedogok]

It varies, here in Denver it is just Christmas Day and New Years Day, at the firms in Austin and at Benham we also got Christmas Eve Day. Some of the engineers we worked with were closed from Christmas Eve Day to New Years Day. My wife's non-profit in Austin was closed like that as well, now she just gets Christmas Eve day, Christmas and New Years Day. That and moving to Denver from Austin has modified our Christmas routine of visiting families.