Inquirer Holiday Time Off Clarification
There have been a number of questions about some new time-off opportunities around Thanksgiving and Christmas in the newsroom that emanated from our recent contract bargaining.
This is just a quick clarification:
Because our newsroom staff has grown to include many people who are not from this immediate area, the Company has agreed to treat the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve almost like weekend days in the newsroom. In other words, it will require a smaller-than-usual group of employees to work. HOWEVER, if you are among the newsroom employees who are permitted to be off the Friday after Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve, you must use either a personal day or a vacation day to have either of those days off (unless they happen to fall on your regular days off.)
Of course, your supervisor must approve of your absence as well.
Our conversations with management lead us to believe this catches the newsroom up to other Guild departments where the ability to have those days off — or parts of those days off — has generally been more available over the years.
Again, for ALL Guild members, the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve ARE NOT PAID HOLIDAY DAYS, thus the requirement to use personal or vacation days if you want them off. Otherwise, you are expected to work.
Please stay safe over these worsening pandemic times.
Diane
