N1cky

Hubby gets the day off work, and daughters school is obviously closed. I'm sat here working (well on BE really) while they are still in bed

Sally Redux

It's tea break time

SultanOfSwing

I love being two hours ahead - it'll be lunch time here soon

N1cky

First coffee of the day actually, I'll actually start some work soon. Maybe 10ish

Sally Redux

There you go - lunchtime

GeoffM

The two places are very different. DD's is a modern facility, a small chain I think. The rates for DS, if he went to the same place, would be 40% more than his current facility. DD's place give a 50% credit if you want to swap days (in advance - can't remember how much notice). But DS's place lets you swap days, space permitting, for free - ideally 2 weeks in advance but they've done it days before. I also think DS's staff are much nicer and approachable than DD's more clinical approach. Can't wait until she's old enough to switch! Though we may have moved by then anyway.

SultanOfSwing

Then you'll have a whole new set of issues, presumably

captainsensible

I got it off, and I am neither a bank or government worker - my company is actually pretty generous with the federal holidays that it observes.

But... it really pisses me off that different companies can make up different rules about which holidays to observe because this, combined with the sometimes huge disparities in vacation allowances makes it very unfair on some people. For instance, my employer observes ALL of the federal holidays but my wifes employer does not - I get 21 days vacation per year, she gets 10, so its also impossible for her to use vacation time to get the same time as me, withoutl leaving herself with virtually none left.

American companies really should start to look at their vacation policies combined with appropriate policies towards federal holidays and more consideration of their employees work-life balance.

Sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant :-)

Englishtart

sorry, but that's just too funny!!

captainsensible

I know... Thats the tragedy.

Englishtart

Bob

The missus works for a bank in a management role and she only gets 4 federal days off, anything else anyone wants off comes out of PTO or unpaid time off if they haven't earned any PTO.

jeffreyhy

Many do consider work-life balance, I think. Many companies give some of the federal holidays - such as MLK's Birthday, President's Day, and Veteran's Day - as 'floating' holidays for exactly that reason. It allows employees to take those holidays whenever during the year they want, effectively converting them to vacation days.

Companies that are heavily unionized tend to give management (non-union) employees the same holiday policies as their unions have negotiated, so the workforce does have some say in what the recognized holidays are.

Regards, JEff