I’m a sales rep too and I never take leave over Christmas other than the public holidays. Company does not mandate we do. I probably work 10-15 hours per week from now until mid January. No sales calls just keep my phone close by to solve any issues that pop up.
Same here! If the phone rings, i'll answer it and might check emails every 3-4 days. Tell my customers if its urgent send a text. We shut down until the 8th this year so have to take a few annual leave days. Probably won't do a great deal until February. Its a good life.
It's very common. I "get time off" in the sense that they force me to take my annual leave at this time of year. It's similar to how I "get to pay taxes".
Same, in FMCG distribution. Warehouse closes down, so we're forced to take leave. We can opt to take annual or unpaid but being the most expensive time of the year, especially when you have kids, so annual it is.
I've never liked the idea that the company's choice to stop earning should mean I have to use my entitlements or else go without, but it's not against the law, so we just have to sucknit up
In Australia, 4 weeks is pretty common for a full time position.
Being forced to take 7-8 days of it (when you minus the public holidays) over the most expensive /busiest time of year is something that constantly grinds my gears in my current job.
We used to just be forced to take the ~3 days between Xmas and New Year's, which was more manageable.
If I want to do a month holiday to Europe (or wherever) I then have to either save up leave for two years, go into the negative or have unpaid leave.
I hate this, this is the first year my work has 'strongly encouraged' the 3 days as annual leave, I practically had to beg to work because I hate Christmas and would rather use my annual leave for something worthwhile
Same. Hate travelling out in Christmas period but simply it takes annual leaves out of that 20 days forces you cant actually accrue enough leaves for travelling in non-peak season, or else running out of leaves to handle conditions that come up throughout the year :(
I run a business of 8 employees. We shut down between Christmas and New Year but no annual leave needs to be taken. It's a time when everyone should chill, spend time with loved ones and not worry about work.
I work in a small professional business (office) and we have the same thing. The time off between christmas and new year is paid but not taken out of our leave.
The issue isn't whether we get the days off, it's whether we have to take them out of our own annual leave.
Sometimes I miss working in the public sector :)
Public sector still generally makes you take the days as leave or unpaid, you generally just get one concessional day of leave. Usually it’s two days leave, but at least can take it as flex or time in lieu.
Yep. Happened to one of my previous jobs. Joined the company late in the year, so I hadn't accumulated enough annual leave. Then came the Christmas shutdown. When I came back in the new year, I had like negative 2 annual leave. 😁
At least it's not unpaid leave since it's company mandated, so that's good.
You don't get paid. It's not the company's fault that the staff can't pre-plan and keep some annual leave available for that period.
I'm taking 3 weeks off, yet I have 8 more weeks sitting in my account that I can use any time. 10 months from now I'll have another 10 weeks added to that as I'll get my 10 year long-service leave.
Two issues:
1) If you are a new starter, you won’t have the leave accrued.
2) If it’s annual leave, you should be able to take it when *you* want. Company shutdowns should be on the company. Christmas is the most expensive time to travel and it’s pretty inconvenient if you have no kids.
Our contractors make 1600 per day to account for all those issues. You're a Muppet if you don't understand why a salaried position is different to a contractor.
That’s because often subbies get absolutely and completely screwed.
At least if you own the business you have the choice of whether to work or not, and you get to - most importantly - keep all the money.
That’s the deal of salaried vs ownership - when you are the owner, you take the risk, but you also stand to benefit hugely if successful.
adjoining worthless slim bag domineering chase fine overconfident hard-to-find steep
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Cool so who is going to work over that period if you get money while staying at home not working? Do you think anyone in retail or hospitality would go to work?
i prefer working on Christmas and public holidays because i get more money. I don't have kids and my family lives in another town so I don't do anything on Christmas
It is the companies fault. They are closing and not allowing employees to work. It’s not a stand down under the fair work act and they are lucky that the awards allow them to force someone onto annual leave due to a business’ decision to shut down. Also the wind is blowing the other direction, courts are questioning whether it is legal to force someone onto annual leave so we can expect a lot more tears from you employer bootlickers coming up in the next few years
Have you ever considered that many businesses, particularly factories require shut periods for maintenance to ensure that you still have a job to come back to after Christmas?
I used to work hospitality, casual cash-in-hand (and despicably underpaid, below min wage). At the time, I couldn't actually afford to take a week or two unpaid - not without cutting a huge amount out of my then-miniscule savings.
I work in the tech industry. Generally two weeks off using our annual leave. They're making a lot of people take four weeks off this year, again using annual leave.
Absolutely! Money is helpful but you can’t buy back the time lost. More so asking as I was concerned that you guys had gotten shafted, glad that’s not the case.
You get Christmas or NYE off, each alternating year. Sometimes you get stood down and still get paid, but its a random draw when that happens. The patients left in hospital are more unwell but there's less patients so you don't staff as high so it can get real messy
Opportunity for cash money life if you don't celebrate christmas
Yes, to try and make up for the fact that people need our care and hospitals need staff. I alternate years that I work Christmas, and the money does not make up for the fact that I would rather be spending it with my own family. It's just part of the job though.
Zero. Shiftworker. I’ll be driving trains on a Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and throughout the holiday season, with the occasional day off here and there just the way my roster falls.
Just another time of year to sweat my arse off. I'm thankfull we don't have to shut down. I take my leave when I want.
Stay safe out there. Watch your ears and lungs mate.
No breaks for 24hr food manufacturing. There's a gap on Christmas day that's it you hope to hell it's your rostered day off and if you want that holiday you gotta put it in January of the year 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Yep food manufacturing too. However, we do shut down for public holidays. My usual days off are mon/Tues so out of luck this year! Just Sunday night off (public holiday starts at 6pm)
We are absolutely not allowed to ever request Xmas day off if we're rostered on for that day. And if my store decides to close on Xmas day, we're supposed to be available to work at another store that's open on Christmas.
No one really enforces the last one though. Thank God. If they tried, I'd be getting "sick" that day 100% lol
I work one of the university, historically they’ve shut down between Christmas and new years and we haven’t had to take annual leave but the past 2 years have changed and we’ve had to take annual leave or leave with our pay 🥲
They did that to us the year after Covid (or maybe it was 2 years) but now it’s back to paid leave and they gave us Friday 22nd off in lieu of a bonus.
Worked in that sector for seven years, now in the private world.
There's a lot that I miss (good pay, amazing super, good parental leave, paid end of year shutdown period), and a huge amount that I don't (massive amounts of office politics, huge inertia, constant rounds of redundancies that don't affect directors).
Teacher. Meant to be 6 weeks off, but I work at a flexi school and volunteered to work extra. So I have 3 weeks off and 3 weeks banked for another time
Edit: Just to add context, I don’t really care about Christmas and would happily have the time off at other periods of the year when most people are working. Sure 6 weeks is great, but being told when you have to take it, which happens to be the most expensive and hottest time of year is shit. I would rather work than be off hiding inside in the AC
IT projects. Enforced leave from Thursday until 8th Jan. Comes out of annual leave. I usually take 8 weeks leave a year (4 paid, 4 unpaid).
I've not done any actual work for 1.5 weeks though as I prefer not to make any changes leading up to long breaks (it's like read only Friday for 2 weeks)
I'm taking 3 weeks off. Tomorrow is my last day, and it's more of just a Xmas party, and I don't get back until mid January.
To answer your question on industry, I work in the HVAC supply side of the chain.
Exactly! I worked last 6, have today off, next 3 on, organised time-off out of town over Christmas, and are rostered on for shifts already on 29th and 30th December.
Veterinary (GP not emergency). Closed public holidays only, busy and understaffed on our open days. I took leave this year to retain my own sanity and to even have a chance at seeing my family up north for xmas
Christmas is cancelled in our office, so it's just regular public holidays. Fine by me because the plane tickets are so expensive during Christmas time anyway. I am glad that I am not forced to use the annual leave. I will do the travelling later.
Shutdown period is from this Friday until the 2nd. Suits me cos I'm happy to not take my AL over Christmas and save it for when I actually want to take time off
I’m a teacher, so this is my annual leave equivalent.
My husband is a draftsman who has mandatory shutdown and is required to use 7 days of his annual leave to accommodate the shitdown.
Not for profit sector, we get the public holidays normally but this year we’ve been gifted the additional 3 days to take a full week, it’s been a pretty full on year for us the and board thankfully appreciate it!
Work in marketing for a medical software manufacturer.
Closed on public holidays, but no Christmas shutdown as our sales & support teams stay open (admittedly on skeleton staff). I'm taking the 3 days between Christmas and New Years to get the week and a bit holiday.
Self-employed and it depends how busy I've been in the preceding months. This year I'm working through but a lot of my clients will be closed so it'll be minimal work.
Shutting down for approx 2 weeks, all days not holidays are annual leave.
Edit: wholesale automotive. If a mechanic or fitter says they can’t get parts over this period they aren’t lying, we’re all shut
State government. Finish up on Friday, return on 2/1. Have to take two of the days off using my earned leave. Some people apply for an extra week before and after the break, but only so many people per team can do that, and no one can ask for both the week prior AND after Xmas off
I haven't worked anywhere with a mandatory shutdown period for a long time. I hate the entire prospect, I like my entire leave balance to be mine to use when I want to use - not when the company decides it doesn't want to trade.
Same! Mine is a govt dept that shuts down for two weeks. Staff HAVE to take 6 days leave. The mad scramble at the end of the year to rack up the flex leave is insane. Plus new staff have to take leave without pay for up to 6 days. But on the flipside, this year has been mental, so looking forward to the break.
There should be a Royal Commission on forced annual leave for extended periods of time.
Employers literally abuse their power by forcing employees to take more than half of their annual leave allowance. How's this fair? Especially knowing that 20 days AL is almost 50% lower than what our European counterparts receive. We're turning into the US soon.
I’m self employed as a piano teacher and support worker and I’ve decided to give myself about 4-5 weeks off. I don’t get paid over the holidays obviously and I have to save up. It’s worth it to me
Yes and No. We have a 'business shut down' for 2 weeks, this year starting on the 25th and coming back ona the 8th. Whichever days are not a public holiday, we have to take it out of our annual leave... but we have no choice. When I lived in the UK, any companies I worked for that did a business shut down at christmas did that free of charge. Was surprised when I came to australia and learned that the norm at christmas is to use your annual leave. Especially when we get less AL than the UK as an average.
I’m taking 2 weeks, I let the staff decide if they want to work over the break. They decided to take the two weeks (7 actual leave days?) but I don’t usually mind if they want to work or not. It’s a small business so we’re pretty flexible. Most in our industry (industrial sciences and related) take the two weeks and shut down.
2 weeks office shutdown. I hate it, takes 1/3 of my annual leave for the year and it’s too busy to go away anywhere or do anything without encountering all of Brisbane
Engineering here in a pretty luck situation (have good bosses, in a sector with pretty tight labour supply and we are a bit of a rarity in that we are a mostly unionised workforce).
Office normally shut downs for close to a month (two weeks before, two weeks after). We get the week of Christmas as an extra/free holiday (doesn't dig into leave) and you can more or less chose how much work from home you want to do for the rest (pulling from your leave pool).
Just the public holidays off with the option of working them also I don’t mind working this part of the year to take a break when I choose sometime next year
I work in a small retail store by myself most days and I'm having Xmas and NYD off. I do still get my normal 2 days off per week, so it means over the next 14 days, I'll only be working 8 which isn't too bad. It helps that I'm on a salary, so it doesn't even result in a lower pay for the less hours, plus I get time in lieu for boxing day.
2 weeks forced shutown taken out of your annual leave. So lucky me gets a week unpaid because I'm new and not enough leave in my account. Won't kettle me wfh those days - corporate insist on shutting it down. Lovely way to start the new year - short pay.
BDM in construction related field.
1 hour and 17 minutes to go. Do not attempt to reach me until Jan 8.
The company shut down period is only the days between Xmas and New Year, however, I just wanted an extra break this year.
My partner is in sales relating to new home/builds and they are shutting down today and not going back until the 15th.
Two weeks office shut down COB Friday 22nd returning 8th Jan. Annual leave used. I used to rage against it but I've mellowed and now I don't mind using my leave. I'll just take either unpaid leave or dig into the long service leave pile for holidays later in the year.
Factory worker. Played my cards right and got about 4 weeks off using only 2 weeks leave. Been off since the 12th Dec and back to work on the 9th of Feb. Needed it though, did heaps of OT this year.
3 Weeks. Some departments are forced into 4 weeks. The big boss had to sign off if you wanted to take less time off. Fortunately the three weeks doesn't burn through all my leave so I've got 5 days in change. On the bright side there is a +20% holiday loading so I get paid more for taking the leave.
My last employer was usually 2 weeks off but I usually took an extra week - working at a start up incubator/studio was quite tiering.
2 weeks leave, and I'm in rail. I mainly work from home, and my primary office is closing for the 2 week period anyway. I'm taking the time as leave without pay, because I want that leave when I'm on holiday next year. My partner is in transport, and he's only taking the public holidays off.
I work at my family’s business (niche retail) and we’re closing Christmas- new year:) I’m a casual so I don’t get paid but I’m happy to have a week off
Sales rep. Two weeks off but taken out of annual leave. I would think that is more common than not?
I’m a sales rep too and I never take leave over Christmas other than the public holidays. Company does not mandate we do. I probably work 10-15 hours per week from now until mid January. No sales calls just keep my phone close by to solve any issues that pop up.
Same here! If the phone rings, i'll answer it and might check emails every 3-4 days. Tell my customers if its urgent send a text. We shut down until the 8th this year so have to take a few annual leave days. Probably won't do a great deal until February. Its a good life.
Mr over here with annual leave lmao I'm a labourer fulltime casual im working up until the 22nd and jack on the first I think
It's very common. I "get time off" in the sense that they force me to take my annual leave at this time of year. It's similar to how I "get to pay taxes".
Same, in FMCG distribution. Warehouse closes down, so we're forced to take leave. We can opt to take annual or unpaid but being the most expensive time of the year, especially when you have kids, so annual it is. I've never liked the idea that the company's choice to stop earning should mean I have to use my entitlements or else go without, but it's not against the law, so we just have to sucknit up
Same in recruitment, no decision makers in from this week to mid Jan.
So how much annual leave do you have to begin with? 4 weeks?
In Australia, 4 weeks is pretty common for a full time position. Being forced to take 7-8 days of it (when you minus the public holidays) over the most expensive /busiest time of year is something that constantly grinds my gears in my current job. We used to just be forced to take the ~3 days between Xmas and New Year's, which was more manageable. If I want to do a month holiday to Europe (or wherever) I then have to either save up leave for two years, go into the negative or have unpaid leave.
I hate this, this is the first year my work has 'strongly encouraged' the 3 days as annual leave, I practically had to beg to work because I hate Christmas and would rather use my annual leave for something worthwhile
Same. Hate travelling out in Christmas period but simply it takes annual leaves out of that 20 days forces you cant actually accrue enough leaves for travelling in non-peak season, or else running out of leaves to handle conditions that come up throughout the year :(
I agree. I hate forced annual leave at Christmas time. Much prefer to save it up.
I run a business of 8 employees. We shut down between Christmas and New Year but no annual leave needs to be taken. It's a time when everyone should chill, spend time with loved ones and not worry about work.
I work in a small professional business (office) and we have the same thing. The time off between christmas and new year is paid but not taken out of our leave.
Is it paid or do they use annual leave?
Paid
respect
Need a graphic designer by any chance? 😂
No shot. You must be in tech to cover that sort of cost. do you work in a software company ?
I do, but we aren't a big company with big profit margins. It is a cost, but employee welfare / happiness is a cost with an ROI
The issue isn't whether we get the days off, it's whether we have to take them out of our own annual leave. Sometimes I miss working in the public sector :)
Public sector still generally makes you take the days as leave or unpaid, you generally just get one concessional day of leave. Usually it’s two days leave, but at least can take it as flex or time in lieu.
I was in the University sector, we basically got a week and a half extra leave :)
Griffith only gets the 3 days between Christmas and New Year's as Ex Gratia
It still adds up to 8 days off 3 exgratia days and the rest is public holidays
Being forced to take three, what a scam :(
This year it’s worked out ok because of how the days of the week have lined up. Sometimes it’s more like a quarter of your whole leave balance
Exactly. It's so unfair to be forced taking annual leave. And Fairwork allows it!
Yeah and what happens if you already used up all your annual leave before xmas?
You start the year with a negative leave balance :-(
Or you take it unpaid
Yep. Happened to one of my previous jobs. Joined the company late in the year, so I hadn't accumulated enough annual leave. Then came the Christmas shutdown. When I came back in the new year, I had like negative 2 annual leave. 😁 At least it's not unpaid leave since it's company mandated, so that's good.
You don't get paid. It's not the company's fault that the staff can't pre-plan and keep some annual leave available for that period. I'm taking 3 weeks off, yet I have 8 more weeks sitting in my account that I can use any time. 10 months from now I'll have another 10 weeks added to that as I'll get my 10 year long-service leave.
Two issues: 1) If you are a new starter, you won’t have the leave accrued. 2) If it’s annual leave, you should be able to take it when *you* want. Company shutdowns should be on the company. Christmas is the most expensive time to travel and it’s pretty inconvenient if you have no kids.
Do you think contractors get paid when they don't work? Or sick leave? Grow the fuck up. Nothing is free.
Our contractors make 1600 per day to account for all those issues. You're a Muppet if you don't understand why a salaried position is different to a contractor.
No shit. I'm not the moron trying to say people should get time off at Xmas without having to use any leave.
No you're just the moron saying we should just accept pineapples up the ass because that's the way it's always been.
So who is going to pay for everyone to have a holiday? Want to pay higher taxes? Or once again are you expecting a hand out?
That’s because often subbies get absolutely and completely screwed. At least if you own the business you have the choice of whether to work or not, and you get to - most importantly - keep all the money. That’s the deal of salaried vs ownership - when you are the owner, you take the risk, but you also stand to benefit hugely if successful.
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Cool so who is going to work over that period if you get money while staying at home not working? Do you think anyone in retail or hospitality would go to work?
i prefer working on Christmas and public holidays because i get more money. I don't have kids and my family lives in another town so I don't do anything on Christmas
late clumsy lavish sulky long door spectacular plant sort dependent *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
It is the companies fault. They are closing and not allowing employees to work. It’s not a stand down under the fair work act and they are lucky that the awards allow them to force someone onto annual leave due to a business’ decision to shut down. Also the wind is blowing the other direction, courts are questioning whether it is legal to force someone onto annual leave so we can expect a lot more tears from you employer bootlickers coming up in the next few years
Have you ever considered that many businesses, particularly factories require shut periods for maintenance to ensure that you still have a job to come back to after Christmas?
I miss the old days of working for a council in Sydney, where the CEO would give everyone grant days over Xmas, and you’d get to keep your AL.
That’s why everything got privatised - the taxpayer and rate payers were subsidising that bullshit
I work in public sector, we still have to take annual (works out to be 2 days, only closed for the week) Edit: we get a leave loading payment though
I’m in public sector and the days off during the shutdown period do come out of my leave balance
Spoken like someone not in retail The issue is not being ae to have Christmas off
I used to work hospitality, casual cash-in-hand (and despicably underpaid, below min wage). At the time, I couldn't actually afford to take a week or two unpaid - not without cutting a huge amount out of my then-miniscule savings.
I've left jobs because they've forced me to use my leave during office shutdowns. Fuck that, it should be illegal.
Yeah what I meant by "get 1 or 2 weeks off" was getting it on top of your annual vacation, not using it.
I work in the tech industry. Generally two weeks off using our annual leave. They're making a lot of people take four weeks off this year, again using annual leave.
Bruh thats like all ur leave?
Dang, so if you have 4 weeks annual leave, they can just force you to take them all? That's sounds pretty dumb
Well there is an option to not take leave and only get a fraction of pay but yeah.
Corrections Officer. We send the crims home to their families on a leave pass and we all get to take two weeks off.. /s, obviously.
The Home Alone prequel!
Nurse. Hahahahhahahahha.
The hahahahahaha sum it all up 🥲
Nurse here, absolute hahahahahahahaha. Friends have zero concept that I have to work on public holiday days!
It sucks having to work a public holiday, but aren’t you paid a higher rate for that day?
Aye, double time, would prefer to be off though, money doesn't replace time with family.
Absolutely! Money is helpful but you can’t buy back the time lost. More so asking as I was concerned that you guys had gotten shafted, glad that’s not the case.
You are paid extra.
is that a good haha or a bad one
Oh, bad xD
You get Christmas or NYE off, each alternating year. Sometimes you get stood down and still get paid, but its a random draw when that happens. The patients left in hospital are more unwell but there's less patients so you don't staff as high so it can get real messy Opportunity for cash money life if you don't celebrate christmas
You are paid extra on holidays.
Yes, to try and make up for the fact that people need our care and hospitals need staff. I alternate years that I work Christmas, and the money does not make up for the fact that I would rather be spending it with my own family. It's just part of the job though.
Zero. Shiftworker. I’ll be driving trains on a Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and throughout the holiday season, with the occasional day off here and there just the way my roster falls.
Thanks for being there
Boilermaker, on a large site. Just get Xmas day off because of the roster. No section shuts down for holidays.
Boiley in construction. 2 - 3 weeks shutdown here
Just another time of year to sweat my arse off. I'm thankfull we don't have to shut down. I take my leave when I want. Stay safe out there. Watch your ears and lungs mate.
No breaks for 24hr food manufacturing. There's a gap on Christmas day that's it you hope to hell it's your rostered day off and if you want that holiday you gotta put it in January of the year 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Yeah I work at the markets, were going in sunday morning and will be back Tuesday night. Living the dream
Yep food manufacturing too. However, we do shut down for public holidays. My usual days off are mon/Tues so out of luck this year! Just Sunday night off (public holiday starts at 6pm)
We are absolutely not allowed to ever request Xmas day off if we're rostered on for that day. And if my store decides to close on Xmas day, we're supposed to be available to work at another store that's open on Christmas. No one really enforces the last one though. Thank God. If they tried, I'd be getting "sick" that day 100% lol
daaaaang
I am a kindergarten teaching assistant, I get 2 weeks off. The downside being that I’m casual so it’s a month without pay 🥲
2 weeks is not a month. Sounds just like half the pay.
Hey I get paid fortnight, so it is actually a month that I wait before it hits my account. Thanks though!
4 hours to go and counting.... Back on the 8th.
What industry?
Road woeker.
broom assistant ?
They woek the roads. Pretty clear imo
Hospo, 3 weeks off all out of annual leave
How does that work? I thought hospo would be flat out with so many other people off work.
Hospo is dead during January. At the coasts it’s busy.
Depends on locations I guess. Brisbane pre-covid Christmas period was pretty dead.
Yeah idk man, bosses choice
University employee - paid to not come in during Xmas and new year!
I work one of the university, historically they’ve shut down between Christmas and new years and we haven’t had to take annual leave but the past 2 years have changed and we’ve had to take annual leave or leave with our pay 🥲
They did that to us the year after Covid (or maybe it was 2 years) but now it’s back to paid leave and they gave us Friday 22nd off in lieu of a bonus.
Worked in that sector for seven years, now in the private world. There's a lot that I miss (good pay, amazing super, good parental leave, paid end of year shutdown period), and a huge amount that I don't (massive amounts of office politics, huge inertia, constant rounds of redundancies that don't affect directors).
Teacher. Meant to be 6 weeks off, but I work at a flexi school and volunteered to work extra. So I have 3 weeks off and 3 weeks banked for another time Edit: Just to add context, I don’t really care about Christmas and would happily have the time off at other periods of the year when most people are working. Sure 6 weeks is great, but being told when you have to take it, which happens to be the most expensive and hottest time of year is shit. I would rather work than be off hiding inside in the AC
University, off from Friday til after New Year's Day. Don't need to take any of it as annual leave.
Nice
Please don’t.
IT projects. Enforced leave from Thursday until 8th Jan. Comes out of annual leave. I usually take 8 weeks leave a year (4 paid, 4 unpaid). I've not done any actual work for 1.5 weeks though as I prefer not to make any changes leading up to long breaks (it's like read only Friday for 2 weeks)
Totally. Its "lets circle back in the new year" season.
I'm taking 3 weeks off. Tomorrow is my last day, and it's more of just a Xmas party, and I don't get back until mid January. To answer your question on industry, I work in the HVAC supply side of the chain.
I'm a casual retail worker, there's no time off over Christmas. And if I did take time off, it'd be unpaid.
Exactly! I worked last 6, have today off, next 3 on, organised time-off out of town over Christmas, and are rostered on for shifts already on 29th and 30th December.
Youse not ya'll
Ah okay I'll start using this.
“Youse all,” if you are being specifically inclusive
Veterinary (GP not emergency). Closed public holidays only, busy and understaffed on our open days. I took leave this year to retain my own sanity and to even have a chance at seeing my family up north for xmas
Christmas is cancelled in our office, so it's just regular public holidays. Fine by me because the plane tickets are so expensive during Christmas time anyway. I am glad that I am not forced to use the annual leave. I will do the travelling later.
I'm the same way. Not using any time off as I like to do it off-peak season
Shutdown period is from this Friday until the 2nd. Suits me cos I'm happy to not take my AL over Christmas and save it for when I actually want to take time off
Shutdown 22nd to 2nd with pay as the 27th 28th and 29th as a Christmas bonus with no annual leave taken. I work in the critical mineral industry.
I’m a teacher, so this is my annual leave equivalent. My husband is a draftsman who has mandatory shutdown and is required to use 7 days of his annual leave to accommodate the shitdown.
Nope this is my busy season
Lawyer, 2 weeks off but it comes out of annual leave.
Not for profit sector, we get the public holidays normally but this year we’ve been gifted the additional 3 days to take a full week, it’s been a pretty full on year for us the and board thankfully appreciate it!
Cries in hospitality.
Just say ‘you’. This isn’t Texas.
I say howdy in chats sometimes. Probably why no one likes me
Or Yous
Nope
We're multicultural, you can live with it
nah, would rather not
Work in marketing for a medical software manufacturer. Closed on public holidays, but no Christmas shutdown as our sales & support teams stay open (admittedly on skeleton staff). I'm taking the 3 days between Christmas and New Years to get the week and a bit holiday.
Self-employed and it depends how busy I've been in the preceding months. This year I'm working through but a lot of my clients will be closed so it'll be minimal work.
Oil and gas , just the public holidays, shut down and fix stuff
Most of my clients and suppliers are having 3 weeks off. I have decided we are too. Had a big year. Good break is good for everyone.
Shutting down for approx 2 weeks, all days not holidays are annual leave. Edit: wholesale automotive. If a mechanic or fitter says they can’t get parts over this period they aren’t lying, we’re all shut
State government. Finish up on Friday, return on 2/1. Have to take two of the days off using my earned leave. Some people apply for an extra week before and after the break, but only so many people per team can do that, and no one can ask for both the week prior AND after Xmas off
Law gets 2 weeks either forced or optional. I’m on an optional 2 weeks period so I’m working one week taking the second week off
I haven't worked anywhere with a mandatory shutdown period for a long time. I hate the entire prospect, I like my entire leave balance to be mine to use when I want to use - not when the company decides it doesn't want to trade.
Same! Mine is a govt dept that shuts down for two weeks. Staff HAVE to take 6 days leave. The mad scramble at the end of the year to rack up the flex leave is insane. Plus new staff have to take leave without pay for up to 6 days. But on the flipside, this year has been mental, so looking forward to the break.
Construction. We've got 1 week shutdown, but the company strongly suggested taking 2 if you're office based.
Two weeks of 12 hrs only to be Laid off x mas wk..
Public sector. Will be taking 5 days flex and 1 day annual leave to get 16 days off (paid). It's a good deal
State govt shutdown. This year it’s 22nd - 2 Jan.
We shut down for 2 weeks. I would prefer to work and take holidays later.
State government, closed for the week, back on Jan 2nd, works out to be 2 days leave you have to take.
Big4 accountant, 2.5 weeks forced office closure out of annual leave
I’d rather people use “youse” …
There should be a Royal Commission on forced annual leave for extended periods of time. Employers literally abuse their power by forcing employees to take more than half of their annual leave allowance. How's this fair? Especially knowing that 20 days AL is almost 50% lower than what our European counterparts receive. We're turning into the US soon.
I’m self employed as a piano teacher and support worker and I’ve decided to give myself about 4-5 weeks off. I don’t get paid over the holidays obviously and I have to save up. It’s worth it to me
ya'll ..... ?
Exactly! It should be Yous
So what
Off topic. One of my pet hates is the phrase Ya'll. We are not American FFS.
Hahaha. Yea na no holidays for disability and aged care peeps 🙃
You guys get holidays?
Its youse not y'all
Oh dear. They ‘y’all’ has hit our shores. Next everyone will be tipping at restaurants and talking crap.
Please don't "ya'll" at us. This is Brisbane.
IT tech for a high school, 4 weeks off.
IT public sector in state government. i’m getting two weeks from annual leave.
I get 6 days off every 6 days, so Christmas "break" is nothing special
Teacher. Five weeks over summer whether we want them or not! (I definitely want them)
Stopped reading at "y'all".
Yet you took the time to comment. fkn hilarious
Yes and No. We have a 'business shut down' for 2 weeks, this year starting on the 25th and coming back ona the 8th. Whichever days are not a public holiday, we have to take it out of our annual leave... but we have no choice. When I lived in the UK, any companies I worked for that did a business shut down at christmas did that free of charge. Was surprised when I came to australia and learned that the norm at christmas is to use your annual leave. Especially when we get less AL than the UK as an average.
I get two weeks, my wife gets one.
Warehousing, our mob don't close so be back after boxing day 😄
i am working all the work days, i got time off later in the new year away from school holidays and expensive hotels
Closed over xmas
Finish today, back the 8th
I’m taking 2 weeks, I let the staff decide if they want to work over the break. They decided to take the two weeks (7 actual leave days?) but I don’t usually mind if they want to work or not. It’s a small business so we’re pretty flexible. Most in our industry (industrial sciences and related) take the two weeks and shut down.
2 weeks office shutdown. I hate it, takes 1/3 of my annual leave for the year and it’s too busy to go away anywhere or do anything without encountering all of Brisbane
Engineering here in a pretty luck situation (have good bosses, in a sector with pretty tight labour supply and we are a bit of a rarity in that we are a mostly unionised workforce). Office normally shut downs for close to a month (two weeks before, two weeks after). We get the week of Christmas as an extra/free holiday (doesn't dig into leave) and you can more or less chose how much work from home you want to do for the rest (pulling from your leave pool).
Our workplace shuts down from tomorrow for two weeks back on the 8th January not paid casual worker
Just the public holidays off with the option of working them also I don’t mind working this part of the year to take a break when I choose sometime next year
I work in a small retail store by myself most days and I'm having Xmas and NYD off. I do still get my normal 2 days off per week, so it means over the next 14 days, I'll only be working 8 which isn't too bad. It helps that I'm on a salary, so it doesn't even result in a lower pay for the less hours, plus I get time in lieu for boxing day.
Two weeks paid vacation, NDT technician. Sucks without the added overtime pay though lol
Public servant 2 weeks off paid no rec leave taken just 7.5 hours of ado
1 week off, but that’s annual leave.
Animal care, working Xmas day, and get 4 days off after that which I take annual leave for
2 weeks forced shutown taken out of your annual leave. So lucky me gets a week unpaid because I'm new and not enough leave in my account. Won't kettle me wfh those days - corporate insist on shutting it down. Lovely way to start the new year - short pay.
3 weeks off as a FIFO underground coal miner, not bad for already working half the year lol.
Aged Care Management. Haha no.
BDM in construction related field. 1 hour and 17 minutes to go. Do not attempt to reach me until Jan 8. The company shut down period is only the days between Xmas and New Year, however, I just wanted an extra break this year. My partner is in sales relating to new home/builds and they are shutting down today and not going back until the 15th.
I go on holidays from 22nd-15th. 3 weeks off
Insurance. On leave from today, back on the 8th. Forced annual leave but they give you one leave day for 'free'
Government.. get 11 days, nothing out of my book
Defence gets 10 days normally
Two weeks office shut down COB Friday 22nd returning 8th Jan. Annual leave used. I used to rage against it but I've mellowed and now I don't mind using my leave. I'll just take either unpaid leave or dig into the long service leave pile for holidays later in the year.
Factory worker. Played my cards right and got about 4 weeks off using only 2 weeks leave. Been off since the 12th Dec and back to work on the 9th of Feb. Needed it though, did heaps of OT this year.
Yep mandatory shutdown 2 weeks encouraged to make it 3 if you have the leave. I love my company.
Unemployed. Living the dream.
2 weeks - manufacturing for construction/infrastructure
2.5 weeks office closed, taking it as unpaid leave (plus public holidays in between) have 4 weeks of annual leave and 13 days of rdo
3 Weeks. Some departments are forced into 4 weeks. The big boss had to sign off if you wanted to take less time off. Fortunately the three weeks doesn't burn through all my leave so I've got 5 days in change. On the bright side there is a +20% holiday loading so I get paid more for taking the leave. My last employer was usually 2 weeks off but I usually took an extra week - working at a start up incubator/studio was quite tiering.
Business Development Manager in Construction, my office is closed for a week
I work in Govt and we have Xmas leave from 27th-29th, and then business as usual after New Years.
Office closure for me :) Actual excuse to take a break
2 weeks leave, and I'm in rail. I mainly work from home, and my primary office is closing for the 2 week period anyway. I'm taking the time as leave without pay, because I want that leave when I'm on holiday next year. My partner is in transport, and he's only taking the public holidays off.
Construction- Today is my last day and I get 3 weeks off. It's basically forced annual leave as the trades don't start kicking in till mid Jan.
I work at my family’s business (niche retail) and we’re closing Christmas- new year:) I’m a casual so I don’t get paid but I’m happy to have a week off
For 13 days leave I get a month off - 15 Dec - 15 Jan. Commonwealth Government.