The totally off-topic thread

[blackcat20]

My work has just announced that we are closing for Christmas on the Friday before, the 20th, forcing everyone to take almost two weeks off work. Have no leave available, I'm up for almost a fortnight with no pay :evil:

 

[Bundy Bear]

Reading the mishap Katie's daughter had yesterday (ouch!) came to mind when I read this story. A mother has seeked legal advice after her son cut himself while climbing a monument.


Mum may sue after boy, 7, hurt climbing war memorial | Sunshine Coast Daily

This is why we can't have nice things.

Seems like the era is lets blame someone else for ours or our families stupidity instead of chalking it up to a bit of good luck and a scar to show young adventure.

 

[Pushka]

Christmas is on a bad day this year. We are closing that day too. Staff pretty much know this several months out though.

 

[Bundy Bear]

My work has just announced that we are closing for Christmas on the Friday before, the 20th, forcing everyone to take almost two weeks off work. Have no leave available, I'm up for almost a fortnight with no pay :evil:

I can understand that bosses take a while to work out when they should close for Christmas but most companies in this era shut for at least the week between Christmas and New Year so staff should plan for a few days of holiday.

Most companies have the problem of staff having too much accrued leave owing and as the staff work longer with the company the leave liability adds up so you have to force staff to take holidays and making everyone take a week or 2 week off work is important.

With the inevitable Christmas slow down most companies now plan a 2 week break, and most staff should plan for it as well.

 

[blackcat20]

Christmas is on a bad day this year. We are closing that day too. Staff pretty much know this several months out though.

I can understand that bosses take a while to work out when they should close for Christmas but most companies in this era shut for at least the week between Christmas and New Year so staff should plan for a few days of holiday.

Most companies have the problem of staff having too much accrued leave owing and as the staff work longer with the company the leave liability adds up so you have to force staff to take holidays and making everyone take a week or 2 week off work is important.

With the inevitable Christmas slow down most companies now plan a 2 week break, and most staff should plan for it as well.

According to the sign in the front office yesterday, we were closing on the 24th, as is the norm for most research institutes/universities. And unfortunately I don't work wednesdays so the public holidays don't do me any favours. So essentially I'm forced to take an unpaid holiday, at the time of year I can least afford it.

 

[drron]

Reading the mishap Katie's daughter had yesterday (ouch!) came to mind when I read this story. A mother has seeked legal advice after her son cut himself while climbing a monument.


Mum may sue after boy, 7, hurt climbing war memorial | Sunshine Coast Daily

This is why we can't have nice things.

As a ratepayer I want to see the mother sent a bill for repairs to the War Memorial.That is something a 7 year old should not be climbing.

 

[JohnK]

As was I about how the calories stack up with no value.

Yes. What may look innocent can be rich in calories.

Personally I try to avoid cooked foods even on holidays.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A simple cheese and tomato sandwich with some margarine is close to 400 calories. I would need 2 of these for lunch and still be hungry.

But what works for one person could be have the opposite effect for othets.

indeed! cheese is bad when you're counting calories.

replace cheese and tomato sandwich with cheese flavoured puffed corn biscuits (or whatever they're called), and add tomato and you have only 50 calories instead of 400! for more protein can add lean shaved chicken if required (100g approx 100 cal)

 

[Pushka]

I can understand businesses closing the Friday before. The two or three days before Christmas aren't exactly productive.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I can understand businesses closing the Friday before. The two or three days before Christmas aren't exactly productive.

As long as workers aren't forced to take leave (unless it's in their contract). It's unfair otherwise.

 

[rogerkambah]

I can understand businesses closing the Friday before. The two or three days before Christmas aren't exactly productive.

Depends what sort of business I suppose. I'm glad DJs, Myer, Woolies, medical practices, petrol stations etc don't close up for the 2 days before Chistmas. Last year I was trying to get a towbar fitted to my vehicle. No way, they were flat out right up to Christmas, and the days before New Year too.

 

[Pushka]

As long as workers aren't forced to take leave (unless it's in their contract). It's unfair otherwise.

Actually, according to FWA it is legal for businesses to close over Christmas. Contract or not. And yes, obviously it depends on the business.

What’s a ‘reasonable’ requirement to take annual leave?
For a requirement to take annual leave to be ‘reasonable’, an employer needs to consider:

• the needs of both the employee and the business
• any agreed arrangement with the employee
• what is usual for the business
• the timing of the direction to take leave
• a fair amount of notice to the employee to take leave.

It’s generally reasonable to ask employees to take annual leave during a shut down over Christmas and New Year.

 

[anat0l]

Reading the mishap Katie's daughter had yesterday (ouch!) came to mind when I read this story. A mother has seeked legal advice after her son cut himself while climbing a monument.


Mum may sue after boy, 7, hurt climbing war memorial | Sunshine Coast Daily

This is why we can't have nice things.

What the hell is a kid doing (or rather, the mother doing to allow the kid) climbing a war memorial. You wouldn't have them climb a church altar or even a parked car. Why the hell a war memorial of all things.

An adult shouldn't be doing that either. And now she has some gall to sue. Mind. Boggles. :evil:

drron raises a good point, actually. Is there something in legislation that does protect things like war memorials (i.e. if you damage them, you need to pay for their repair or at least punitive damages)?

My work has just announced that we are closing for Christmas on the Friday before, the 20th, forcing everyone to take almost two weeks off work. Have no leave available, I'm up for almost a fortnight with no pay :evil:

Taking forced leave from one's annual leave sucks, period (no pun intended).

Our university has an interesting take. We close for around 10 days covering Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. However, the days not covered by public holidays are granted to us as "free annual leave". It's as if we took annual leave on those days as usual, but nothing is deducted from our annual leave allowances. Strictly speaking, it's not university policy - it's actually dependent on a decision made by the university that is announced to the staff. So far, for all the years I've been here, they have never refused to grant this special leave.

 

[JohnM]

Our university has an interesting take. We close for around 10 days covering Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. However, the days not covered by public holidays are granted to us as "free annual leave". It's as if we took annual leave on those days as usual, but nothing is deducted from our annual leave allowances. Strictly speaking, it's not university policy - it's actually dependent on a decision made by the university that is announced to the staff. So far, for all the years I've been here, they have never refused to grant this special leave.

I understood this to be SOP at Universities. AFAIK, all the WA unis do this.

 

[serfty]

In case I forget to tell everyone:
today is my last shift until February 14 :mrgreen:

Congratulation and happy Christmas (take your woolies to the USA ...).

 

[JohnK]

indeed! cheese is bad when you're counting calories.

Cheese in moderation is good. I have a slice of cheddar cheese with turkey/ham and 2 premium buiscuits one of my snacks during the day.

I try to have 6 meals of around 250-300 calories each throughout the day.

 

[serfty]

This morning for the first time in 20 years we saw swans from our garden-...But there is more.When I disembarked from our last cruise I was at my heaviest-108.5kg.So I gave myself a target of being 95kg by the new year.Well today I hit the mark nearly 6 weeks early.
So now I think a black swan is a very good omen!

Back in '98 I was 107 - kg & waist size.

Won a trip to Ireland on St Patrick's Day with a business card drop in a QP courtesy of Jameson.

After a three week (me, SWMBO, MIL, 6yo Mini serfty) trip including Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Northern France, Paris London & Bath I came back 97Kg.

WTF??

Realised that with my work life wich included numerous QP's, work lunches/Dinners and the like, was rather sedentary ... so I took up regular Golf!

Within 9 months (just ensuring walking at least 2 x 18 holes each month) I had Dropped to 92 both Kg and waist.

Of course 15 years later it's getting harder ...

 

[anat0l]

I am not looking too good myself around the waist. Stress out and lack of sleep (the latter is a killer!) from endless thesis concern is not helping.

When I get my life together properly, one key component of that will have to be getting my weight down.

 

[JohnK]

Most companies have the problem of staff having too much accrued leave owing and as the staff work longer with the company the leave liability adds up so you have to force staff to take holidays and making everyone take a week or 2 week off work is important.

With the inevitable Christmas slow down most companies now plan a 2 week break, and most staff should plan for it as well.

Be careful about trying to tarnish everyone with the same brush. I am going overseas this Christmas but I have cut my trip short as that is not a good time to travel.

My preference is to travel November and then February and if I have to take off 2 weeks at Christmas as well then I have to give up one of my other trips or take more unpaid leave. At least our company has given us the choice this year.

 

[markis10]

Actually, according to FWA it is legal for businesses to close over Christmas. Contract or not. And yes, obviously it depends on the business.

What’s a ‘reasonable’ requirement to take annual leave?
For a requirement to take annual leave to be ‘reasonable’, an employer needs to consider:

• the needs of both the employee and the business
• any agreed arrangement with the employee
• what is usual for the business
• the timing of the direction to take leave
• a fair amount of notice to the employee to take leave.

It’s generally reasonable to ask employees to take annual leave during a shut down over Christmas and New Year.

Spot on, my former employer has a three week standown which is mandatory, taking a good dint out of their leave obligations in one hit, personally I don't like the concept as I suspect it has a big hit on the economy, if its not a public holiday business should be open for those that want to work.