Getting Time Off

jajack71

jajack71

Well-known member
It's that time of year again the hoilday season. I would like to know how other Photog's work around getting the holidays off. We have two guys at our shop who have senority and they always get the holidays off.

I understand senority I worked in a union town so I have respect for a person's time on the job. What I'm having issue with is that the same guys get all the major holidays off and the rest of us get what's left over or worse we just loose the days not taken by December 31.

I have worked in other shops where if you have taken for example Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor day off you kind of know you won't be getting Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years off. Holidays off where rotated and everyone gets the time off not just the Photog's that have major senority over everyone else.

How do other shops work around this issue? I would like to know because our management teams says "Well we can only have two people off and you need to talk to the folks that have the time off about switching days" That takes the responsibility off of them (Management) and shifts responsibility to the Photog staff. Not to mention the people that have set days off you throw that into the mix and that can be fustrating as well.

I have asked for days off well in advance I mean like asking for some of the Christmas hoildays off in June . Please share your insight
 
Best way I've seen work

Is to start with most senior person, they get 1 pick. Next senior person they get 1 pick and so on. Back to the most senior person, they get second pick, next senior person second pick and so on. It ensures the same person doesn't get Christmas AND Thanksgiving every year in a row.
 
Our station divides the major holidays into summer and winter groups. Everyone gets to rank their preference for Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day and the managers do their best to give everyone their first choice. Likewise, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's are done the same way. I like this system and think its pretty fair. Seniority does play a role sometimes, but at least everyone, regardless of their rank, gets at least one summer and one winter holiday off.
 
Fight to the Death

Since I'm one of only 2 shooters, we typically meet and discuss what we'd each like, then try to find a compromise from there. In my first holiday season I figured I'd pay my dues and worked Christmas and Thanksgiving both. Now it typically turns into one or the other. I actually prefer taking Christmas and New Years... 2 Holidays on 1 time card.
 
We had a chief who made everybody work. It was nice because everybody complained, but nobody got special treatment. You worked a 4 hour day, later it chaneged to you worked one or the other.
 
Talk to whoever makes the decision on your shop. Let them know you would like a particular holiday off. Take your pick, but only pick one for best results. Ask them how you can get it, Don't try for Xmas, or Thanksgiving this year. Maybe next year, or 2010, or ask them when you can have it off. Be willing to next year.
 
I'll second that... used to be a reporter in the same newsroom as Alex, way back in the days of 3/4, and I'd volunteer to work the major holidays so the family guys could be home with their kids.

that, and the turkey dinner from Shoney's in styrofoam boxes...

a few years later, having a kid was one of several reasons I got out of news.
 
I'll second that... used to be a reporter in the same newsroom as Alex but long before he got there, way back in the days of 3/4. I'd volunteer to work the major holidays so the family guys could be home with their kids.

a few years later, having a kid was one of several reasons I got out of news.
 
dunno how that showed up twice, but as you can tell from the double post dried-out turkey and brown & serve rolls are a big issue for me...
 
If your single, holidays are not a bad gig. The management is all gone. The stories are usually pretty boiler plate. Nobody is interested in live shots, so if you get your story done early, you can go home. Plus you get holiday pay. And everybody in the community is nice to you since you have to work a holiday. Unless it's a bad news story.
 
Holidays are for people with families....find the Single and non-religious in your shop and trade him for the football holidays and New Years.
 
last time I checked everyone has a family. Regardless if you are married and have kids, or are single. Just because some one is single doesn't mean they don't have parents or siblings that they would like to spend the holidays with.
 
left eyed said:
last time I checked everyone has a family. Regardless if you are married and have kids, or are single. Just because some one is single doesn't mean they don't have parents or siblings that they would like to spend the holidays with.
Click to expand...

Well put. Being single or childless should not get you holiday duty unless you volunteer.

I've worked in a LOT of newsrooms, and I can't remember one where there was a set policy on who would get holidays and which ones. Even the ones where they simply say, "First one to request gets it" don't hold fast to that when it becomes complicated or someone complains loudly.

The best situation was when I was chief of a small (8) staff and I asked everyone to rank the holidays they wanted off. Somehow it worked out where everyone was able to get their top two. (It surprised me how many people REALLY like New Year's Day off) The plan was if it didn't work out that way, then those who didn't get their top picks that year would get them the next if they were still there. In a way that kind of favored seniority since new folks would go the end of the line, but like I said it was never an issue.

I think the bottom line is if you are in a position to schedule and you aren't fair about it, don't fool yourself thinking they aren't talking about you or maybe thinking about working for somebody else.

FMc
 
As someone who worked almost all holidays until I was 40. I feel I've payed my dues.

Seniority has to count for something.

I've done my time away from family and friends its now time for other staff to work over the holidays.
 
I guess I'm fortunate as I has the ability, with numerous awards, and the sepniortity for the schedule.
 
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