Christmas on weekends

Do you get a day off in lieu of Christmas Day ? Or get no day off in lieu but receive (extra) pay? What if you normally work on Sundays, will you get the day off? What does your company do about Christmas on weekends?

If you get paid (extra), how much? Is this included in your employment contract?

We'd like to hear from everyone whose work is affected by Christmas Day being on the weekend!

Share your holiday story, idea or comments

Will you get a day of in lieu for Christmas when it falls on the weekend?

Post your comments

Comments
Posted by David:

This is the rule in Ontario. As per Section 29 of the ESA, when a statutory holiday falls on a weekend or a day that is not ordinarily the employee’s working day or is during the employee’s vacation, the employee must be given a substitute day off, which shall be: - Scheduled for a day that would ordinarily be a working day for the employee; - Paid as public holiday pay; and - Scheduled for a day no more than three months after the statutory holiday (or no more than twelve months after the statutory holiday only if the employee agrees).

Posted by Pierre:

I have worked as a security guard in a government building for the last six years Christmas is on a Sunday but we have to work on Tuesday when the government building is closed is that right my company pays for all stat day why can we get the Tuesday off

Posted by Anonymous:

Christmas Day is a National Stat Holiday where Boxing Day is only a Stat Holiday in On. Government Standard Rules in AB are that the Stats have to fall on a regular working day in order to be paid Stat Holiday Pay. If you work them then you get paid time and half as well. Employers only have to give a day in lieu if it is a regular working day and they make their employees work on that day. Employers that gave a day in lieu or pay stat holiday pay for non working day stats are doing it purely out of kindness not necessity. Some employers simply can not afford to pay all of their employees stat pay when making no money. They would have to pay 3 full days wages to each employee while not generating any revenue for 1 full week. Think about it this way if you dont work for one full week and are paid by the hour what does your pay cheque look like? Can you still pay all your bills with one week less pay? The same can be said about a business not generating revenue for one week with time off in lieu. That business now has to figure out how to continue to pay all of the same bills without the money they normally would have generated. Its tough for some employers especially those that have been locked down every two months for months at a time over the last 2 years. Some employers just try to pay a little extra all year long through their employees wage. This is a link to the AB Employment Standards https://www.alberta.ca/general-holidays-pay.aspx

Posted by Tina Ramirez:

I have been working in one employer for almost 12yrs now as a house keeper. I was told by my employer that monday its not holiday in lieu of Christmas day that falls on weekend, same on New years day (2022) that falls on weekend. So i was required to work on monday.

Posted by Delia Perry:

I think that if Christmas is on a Saturday and Boxing Day is Sunday then employees should get a holiday Monday and Tuesday, most all government employees have these days off, especially politicians, after all look how long they take anyway, why deny the average person time off. It should be made a stat. holiday across Canada, and those that don’t get the time off it should be time and half regardless of whether or not you are a part time employee, office workers and permanent part time or part time. Have a heart.

Posted by Dan:

I am stunned by some of the comments that people think employers are hurt by giving the Monday or Friday off in lieu of Christmas being on a weekend. I own a small digital company (8 employees) and I gave our team Friday the 24th off in lieu of Christmas and gave Monday the 27th off as well. The Holiday Season is about family and I believe in rewarding employees for a their loyalty and hard work throughout the year. I also gave Dec 31st off as Jan 1st is also on Saturday. All paid! Merry Christmas to all!

Posted by Rob:

Why is it that the rules are that if Canada Day falls on a weekend, you get the Monday off. But for Christmas and Boxing Day (and New Yars' Day), you cannot get the Monday and Tuesday off, or the Friday and Monday off, or something reasonable? My employer is having us work.

Posted by Anonymous :

Our company has just decided that we are going to have to work on the mon and Tues after the Christmas and boxing day weekend. Basically no concerns about their employees personal life or mental health. Let alone anyone that is traveling. Or should I say planned on traveling over the 4 days we were originally supposed to have off. Basically a big we don't give a rat's buttocks

Posted by Anon:

You can really tell “less holidays buddy” doesn’t give a crap about his employees. I would sure hate having that kind of person as an employer. The same kind of person that expects employees to work for them forever and holds a grudge when they find a better option all while withholding promotions and any opportunity to progress as an employee and in their career. Pathetic.

Posted by Jarad:

My employer is just as confused as I am and in the last 5 years has never specifically told us what days we get off or not, we just guess.. Why is it so hard for the government to clarify the actual days off or if there is days off during the week for those who normally work monday to friday and a stat falls on the weekend, like christmas does.

Posted by Anonymous:

Re: "Less holidays would be better". Canadian Federal Labour Standards states that if a general holiday falls on a non-working day (ie: the weekend), the employee is entitled to a paid day off either for the day preceding the holiday, or the day after it. Ypu can read about it here: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/labour-standards/reports/holidays.html

Posted by Sue:

Work M-F and have weekends off. Employer does not give any days off on lieu or extra pay for Christmas falling on a weekend - back to work on Monday

Posted by Wayne:

I live in Saskatchewan this year 2021 Christmas and Boxing Day land on a weekend Boxing Day is not a stat holiday here , but our company has decided to close on the 27 and 28 and want us to use our vacation days to cover theses days or be deducted pay for these days is this correct

Posted by Brenda Aelick:

I work P/T for a municipal government, I worked 5 hours on the 27th am I entitled to time and a half plus the % of stat holiday pay for the 25th...I was paid the % for 25th but just reg pay for the 5 hours on the 27th and told I am ONLY P/T so the rules are different?????

Anonymous:

I'm in Alberta and am not getting stat pay for either Christmas or New Year's Day. Is this right?

Posted by James:

It is very bothersome to read employers complaints over ten stat days for people to spend time with their families, I ask do you not value your workforce and their right to enjoy time with their families? Are they not worth this? These gestures from any of my employers make me work harder for my employer as I feel appreciative for the time off, If your employees are not deserving of such treatment to make you revenue, possibly look into replacing them with personnel that are. Its disheartening to read such angry posts when the employees generally will do whatever it takes to make sure the job is done and done right, for the employers benefit, and this is lost when you complain over ten days that our government has declared as family time.

Anonymous:

Less Holidays would be better, Alberta seems to love giving these "paid" days off to empolyess, not realizing the effect if has on empolyers workload and then they still have to pay!! not right. If you have a Monday to Friday business and the holiday falls on the weekend, it should not be to let them have a weekday in lieu. Too bad, that should be a bonus to employers! for once! you can sure tell who the employess are.. want it all for free, including their sick days. that's my rant.

Anonymous:

Christmas is on Sunday this year, we are giving our staff Monday off, in lieuand paying one Stat Holiday pay. Boxing Day is not a Stat Holiday in Alberta. Employers cannot afford to pay these extra "holidays" to everyone and Employees shouldn't just expect to get paid or get the day off!

Anonymous:

I think if you work on Christmas day , you should be paid extra because noone will want to offer to work that day, so your stuck to work on the holiday with no benefit while others are out having time off on the holiday. I find it unfair. If you work on the weekend on Christmas you should be paid extra. Not the day before, not the day after.

Posted by Sue:

When Christmas falls on the weekend eg. Sunday then you would get the following day off, as Boxing day in on the Monday then you will receive Monday and Tuesday off.

Anonymous:

The Holiday Act says: "you can have a holiday on the working day immediately preceding or following Christmas". I love it. Preceding or following. Every act is so vague, no wonder people are confused!

Anonymous:

When Christmas is on the weekend then you get Friday off if it's Saturday and Monday off if it's a Sunday. Simple as that. Boxing Day doesn't move no matter what day. That's how I've been looking at it for the past 10+ years and never got into any trouble.

Anonymous:

Read the holiday act, be familiar with your rights. Don't let your employer tell you what you can do and accept it as fact!