lisa67

So it's Bank Holiday Monday in the UK.
Apart from the fact that most of us in the US have to go to work..do you miss it? What would you be doing if you were in the UK?
My Mum and Dad always took us on a "trip", usually to the seaside where we'd eat egg sandwiches in the car while Dad's thermos of hot coffee would steam up the windows so we couldn't see the rain lashing down.
If the rain stopped we'd go for an ice cream and a paddle in the frigid waters...ah those were the days!!

welshgirl1

I think in the past maybe 8 years I had worked the majority of bank holidays in the UK...some places for good money (triple pay - woot!) some places rubbish money (time and a quarter)...the only time I didn't work a bank holiday was to go to Reading Festival last year as I won VIP tickets. So in short, no to me bank holidays were generally rubbish!

Englishtart

I don't think I miss the bank holidays especially, but I do miss 'holidays', something that was posted on another forum, made me think about it. In the UK, it seems that most working people will work all year and plan their holidays for the Summer, Christmas seasons etc, they will (if possible) plan on a holiday away from home for the family, usually a two week break that they can look forward too. Most people will also have a few 'floating' days on top of that, that they can use for the odd 3 day weekend, or the appointments that need keeping etc. Then there are the usual 'bank holidays' that top up the time off.


It seems to me, that here in the US, it's not as easy to plan for a two week break, there are few 3 day weekends that are 'free' days off, the appointments that have to be made during business hours, have to be taken as one of your 'holidays'. Unless you have tenure in your job, your basic days off, don't usually allow you to plan for a two week holiday.

I am missing hubby's active duty entitlement of 30 days a year of leave, now he is a civilian, he has to work a full 80 hours to get 4 hours vacation time. He can take 'comp' time for any overtime worked, but that is rare. We haven't been able to 'save' enough of his vacation time yet, to have more than a couple of 4 day weekends since he retired. Fortunately, this last deployment allowed him lots of overtime, so he will be able to take a full 2 weeks off later this month

My best friend here has worked in HR at the same company for almost 20 years, she now earns around 18 days a year in vacation time, but she still can't take a full two weeks vacation at one time, because she has to 'save' hours for emergencies or just to take a short break throughout the year...Just seems to me that people work much longer hours and get less time off here.

Mummy in the foothills

I can never remember when the bank holidays are supposed to be. I used to end up working anyway (nurse) I do miss having more than two weeks a year that Dh is off so we can actually go on holiday for more than a long weekend.

SpoogleDrummer

I'd probably have spent the day playing World of Warcraft if I were still in the UK Not touched it since I moved over here though due to the different timezone, not to mention the wife would kill me

tonrob

I'd probably be spending the day on a pub crawl around London with friends, supping lovely real ale and finishing with the hottest curry imaginable.

Is it beer garden weather over there? No - don't answer that, I'll only get depressed...

orangemirror

I woke up in a really bad mood this morning and now i think I realise why. I must have sub-consciously realised that today is a bank holiday and i used to have the day off. I'd completely forgotten about the May Day holiday, i've been looking forward to Memorial day for a couple of months though (that's how desperate I am for a day off).

The best thing about bank holidays are that they make Sunday's really, really good. You can go to the pub all day and not have to worry about getting up for work on Monday.

celticgrid

Isn't there a need to rename these from "Bank" holiday to something else? The new name will, of course, depend on your view of banks...

Tarkak9

Bank Bailout Holiday... a day of rest from the taxpayer bailing out the b'stards.

snowbunny

I've never had any "bank holidays" so can't miss them... but certainly wish we had them here.

Was listening to Radio One this morning to hear a favourite co-present a show. They were talking about people enjoying their Bank Holiday Monday.

surly

We do they just aren't called Bank Holidays.

Kar98

Sounds dreadful.

snowbunny

We only get two. There are plenty more bank holidays (federal and state banks) that the bankers get off that workers don't.

surly

Most US companies give 12 days a year.

UK gets 8

England and Wales 2009
New Year's Day
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Early May Bank Holiday
Spring Bank Holiday
Summer Bank Holiday
Christmas Day
Boxing Day

snowbunny

I get zero paid holidays per year. I could really use a job with better benefits but you take what you can find these days. I honestly think the American psyche would improve with a handful of mandatory paid sick leave and/or holidays. Cost to business? Well, I know it's high when everyone comes to work sick because they can't afford to miss it, send their kids to school sick because they can't stay home to watch them, and then get everyone else sick.