Good Friday

BB63

I have worked for the same company for 19 years & have never worked on Good Friday. It is a factory and the people in the factory do work Good Friday but the office staff never have.
Last year, the owner's brother (who's also a Director) began work in the same office as me. He said that Good Friday isn't a Public Holiday & that we have to work - I told him that we never worked Good Friday & took the day off as normal.
Last week he bought it up again, saying he would be working & that so should I.
Surely, the fact that I have had 18 previous allowed days off for Good Friday sets a precedent?. I do not think I should have to work as it's an accepted day off.
Where do I stand?

Pink Fairy

It's not a public holiday, it's a day given by your employer as a bonus, nothing more, so if they request you work, you work, otherwise take it from your annual leave

secman

Pink Fairy wrote: »

It's not a public holiday, it's a day given by your employer as a bonus, nothing more, so if they request you work, you work, otherwise take it from your annual leave

Agreed that it's a day given by the company... but they have set a precedence having given it for previous 18 years. Company don't have a leg to stand on if it landed in Labour court.

theteal

Is it in the OP's contract? If not, surely such a policy can change depending on the needs of the business?

davo10

The days on which annual leave is taken is at the discretion of the employer. Op, you are not entitled to good Friday off unless it states it in your contract. It is just like any other working day.

BB63

So really, I should clarify with my boss what the story is regarding Good Friday?
Thanks everyone.

homewardbound11

I think the "precedence" of 19 years would mean that it is the employer who should change their contract wording . Do you have your original contract from 19 years ago. If it is clear in there then you have no other option but to work . If not then I would be inclined that 19 years precedence would weigh heavily in favour of not working and the employer changing their contract wording .

mcko

Take it off.

davo10

homewardbound11 wrote: »

I think the "precedence" of 19 years would mean that it is the employer who should change their contract wording . Do you have your original contract from 19 years ago. If it is clear in there then you have no other option but to work . If not then I would be inclined that 19 years precedence would weigh heavily in favour of not working and the employer changing their contract wording .

Precedence does not apply to annual leave, the employer must take family commitments into account when considering a request for annual leave but that does not mean they are obliged to grant it. Unless it specifically states in the contract that OP must take GF off, then it is an annual leave day just like any other throughout the year.

Op you can read through the main points of the Organisation of Working Time Act or the citizens advice website annual leave page.

Op are you objecting to having to work or to using as one of your AL days? If you don't mind using up an AL day, just apply to take it off.

runawaybishop

secman wrote: »

Agreed that it's a day given by the company... but they have set a precedence having given it for previous 18 years. Company don't have a leg to stand on if it landed in Labour court.

Nope, it's a day given by the employer thats all. Precedence doesn't mean a thing in this regard, otherwise most of the country could claim Christmas days on top of their holidays.

seamus

BB63 wrote: »

Where do I stand?

Is he your direct boss, or does he just happen to be a more senior person?

Even if he is a company director, unless he's part of the chain you report to, he can't tell you what you have to do.

In more realistic terms, good friday isn't a public holiday. It would be the norm in companies that usually close for the day that you have a day taken out of your annual leave entitlement.

So even if you don't want to work, you will/should/can lose a day of annual leave for it.

ZeroThreat

seamus wrote: »

Is he your direct boss, or does he just happen to be a more senior person?

Even if he is a company director, unless he's part of the chain you report to, he can't tell you what you have to do.

In more realistic terms, good friday isn't a public holiday. It would be the norm in companies that usually close for the day that you have a day taken out of your annual leave entitlement.

So even if you don't want to work, you will/should/can lose a day of annual leave for it.

hah, from my own experience in a family owned SME, you don't really have an option to ignore any request from a family member, regardless of seniority or whether they're a director or not.

wokingvoter

ZeroThreat wrote: »

hah, from my own experience in a family owned SME, you don't really have an option to ignore any request from a family member, regardless of seniority or whether they're a director or not.

When looking for work try to steer clear of family SME . It never ends well

Bandana boy

wokingvoter wrote: »

When looking for work try to steer clear of family SME . It never ends well

Largest employer in the state , not really an option for most people

LegacyUser

Can my employer force me to take Good Friday off even if I don't want to ? Because he thinks that we would be quiet on that day he does not want to have to pay me for the day and wants to force me to take a day out of my holidays.

runawaybishop

Goodfriday wrote: »

Can my employer force me to take Good Friday off even if I don't want to ? Because he thinks that we would be quiet on that day he does not want to have to pay me for the day and wants to force me to take a day out of my holidays.

Yes, provided sufficient notice is given, your holidays are entirely at the discretion of your employer who can direct you to take off days.

ZeroThreat

runawaybishop wrote: »

Yes, provided sufficient notice is given, your holidays are entirely at the discretion of your employer who can direct you to take off days.

Indeed, I spoke to someone years ago who worked in some sort of production plant/factory, the place closed for 2 weeks holidays at the same time every year when the owner went away himself, so there was no flexibility whatsoever for taking time off outside that window.

wokingvoter

ZeroThreat wrote: »

Indeed, I spoke to someone years ago who worked in some sort of production plant/factory, the place closed for 2 weeks holidays at the same time every year when the owner went away himself, so there was no flexibility whatsoever for taking time off outside that window.

All the time my FIL worked in Cadburys in Coolock they closed last week in July first week in August, few days over Chrustmas and New Yesr etc
No choice at all and everyone knew where they stood

Wanderer2010

wokingvoter wrote: »

When looking for work try to steer clear of family SME . It never ends well

Exactly. So many of them are run by snotty, bratty rich kids who were handed everything they ever got by their Mammy and Daddy and they have zero managerial skills but they are allowed to rule the roost because they are the boss's son or daughter, get out of this environment if you can.

Always really annoys me when sons and daughters of company directors get handed a career for life when the rest of us have to slog our guts out sending out CVs, doing Masters etc etc. I know that's life but no less annoying.

ZeroThreat

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Exactly. So many of them are run by snotty, bratty rich kids who were handed everything they ever got by their Mammy and Daddy and they have zero managerial skills but they are allowed to rule the roost because they are the boss's son or daughter, get out of this environment if you can.

Always really annoys me when sons and daughters of company directors get handed a career for life when the rest of us have to slog our guts out sending out CVs, doing Masters etc etc. I know that's life but no less annoying.

Problem is that the majority of SMEs are family run and SMEs are the largest sector of the economy in terms of employees.