SCHEDULE CHANGE

POPEYE

Several of our EEs have requested that we remain closed the day after Christmas. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are paid and they want to take Friday and Sat. off as well. Business demands that we operate at least 3 days that week so we have decided to run on Sunday the 21st. Now we have some EEs raising cane about having to work on Sunday. We have advised that they may use vacation time or if none available it will not count as attendance incidents if they do not report as long as they advise in advance. Logistically we cannot "double" up on shift times to allow them to make up time and for those that do not have vacation time it will mean losing 8 hours.

Does anyone see any legal ramifications from this change? Approximately 92% of our employees are in favor of the change.

Thanks for input.

LindaS

No matter what you do you will have some employees unhappy. I don't see any legal issues with the schedule change and I don't see any issues regarding unemployment for Sunday, either.

Whatever

Just a minor warning..Is anybody objecting to work on Sunday on religious grounds?

POPEYE

Yes there are 2 EEs who have expressed opposition based on their beliefs. That actually was the basis for my question of legal ramifications.

Whatever

Any possibility of accomodating these two ees?

Safety Witch

We normally get Christmas Eve day and Christmas Day off. However, this year, to allow our employees to have Friday off, we are going to let employees go home a few hours early on Christmas Eve day, and take the day after Christmas as our Christmas Eve day. Can your company make those plans at this late date?

Just a thought 0=*

Safety W.

mwild31

Honestly, Popeye - I don't see any harm. It sounds from your post as though you have offered accomodation to those that object:

1) Ability to take a vacation day (they could take it unpaid too if they wanted too right? By letting that happen, it makes the use of the vacation day their choice), and
2)Not an attendance infraction, so long as the time off is requested in advance.

I see accomodation & no adverse employment action. I would go forward with your plan. Just my thoughts.

POPEYE

Thanks for the input. After discussion with those involved we have moved forward and I just posted the notice of the change.