What is a good one day family vacation?

Vacation time after 5 years? Is it right to ask for one day off, even if its a "holiday"?

• The company I work for, for the past 5 1/2 years is now giving me a hard time about my time off... I work 40 hours a week, but have Tuesdays and Fridays off.. I requested off for December 31st which is a Saturday. My supervisor said our boss told him no time off will be granted for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Never said anything about New Years'. Two years ago when I requested New Years' Eve off the manager granted it.. supposedly she isnt granting it this year because we have a new site that just opened and things are hectic.. My question is, why would that new site opening now, affect me getting time off later? Also, my supervisor made the suggestion to me to switch to a different site, so I could work 4, 10 hour shifts and have 3 days off so I wouldnt have to request that much time off.. And a co-worker asked to have Jan 2nd off... Also, I told my supervisor I am requesting time in June, a week to be exact.. and he said, "things are so unforeseen we will have to wait and see if you can get that time". So a little background info.. I have been with the company for 5 years. My supervisor has been with the company for only 1 year. Every year you get one week of paid vacation at 5 years you get two weeks paid vacation. We dont get sick leave at all. In this past year, 2011, my supervisor has taken nearly 20 days off two of which he pulled what we call a "no-call/no-show" and left town not telling anyone and no one could contact him for those two days. He is also talking about taking a week off in February. I have taken 3 days, and had to be out for nearly 3 weeks on unexpected medical leave which does not go toward my vacation time. He has more time than me and my fellow co-workers have combined. Every day I ask to have off, I have to beg for.. So my question is, do I fight for this day off for the New Year, or do I let it go and "hope" I get the time off in June?

• Answer:

  I doubt going to the HR people would do you much good. They usually always back management on scheduling issues. Maybe the new site might require some staff to be pulled from yours to get them up and running. If so your sup. might not want to short his workforce (by letting you off) knowing he may be called upon to temporarily give up more people to the other site. On the other hand he's probably just a jerk who is enjoying exercising his new power since he's only been there a year. Unfortunately management plays by different rules than workers. They make more exceptions and grant many perks within their ranks like extra days off or early release to get a good tee time out at the golf course for demonstrating 'exceptional management practices' (like efficient management of labor resources, aka you). It's not fair, it's not right but that's the way it is in non-union, non-contract industries. I say if he sticks with 'no' then let it go. Continue to do your best work to improve or maintain your worth to the company. Sounds like you already do. That may improve your chances to get the summer week off. Even though you've been with them over 5 years use your days off to look for another job. If you've got a job it's always easier to get another one. Sounds like you could do better.