Why working on weekends and holidays rock - A Tuesday Note
Last week, majority of the working class were on a long weekend holiday. In the PH, Thursday, Friday and Saturday were declared holidays. In Australia and New Zealand, they also had Thursday and Friday as holidays. As if that weren't enough, they also have this week's Monday and Tuesday as holidays, too. Now that's a long, long weekend holiday.
UK and Ireland are on a league of their own. Other than the holidays they had last week (Monday and Friday), they also had a holiday this Monday (bank holiday) and another holiday this coming Friday (some important couple's wedding). That's two long weekend holidays in succession!
I, however, was working the entire week last week. Boo, what a loser.
But, no, not really. Ever since I've started working (and even when I was still in college), I always saw holidays as very good opportunities. It helped that since my first job, working on holidays is always a must because of the industries I were in (retail, BPO). There are plenty of good reasons why it rocks to be working on weekends or holidays while the rest of the country are out on at the beach, getting drunk and singing their hearts out. Let me just cite three of them.
But, really quickly before discussing those three reasons I'd just like to say one thing. I always like to think that the hardworking person toiling in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping (figuratively) will always get ahead of the game.
Anyway, three reasons.
All government offices are closed on holidays. Always.
It's a fact just as the sun always sets. What's your point, you ask. Well, if you have processed a passport application in recent months you will get my point. I tried to renew my passport January of this year and it took me almost the entire afternoon. Away from work. Unpaid, of course. If you are a paid-by-the-day no-work-no-pay employee, you want to make sure that you don't miss a few working days just because of governmental efficiencies. In fact, you can use this as a reason to work on a holiday. Here's how. Take a day off from work on slow days like a Wednesday or Thursday and do what you need to do with the City Hall, Assessor's Office or Department of Foreign Affairs. Do them all in one day if possible. Then take back the money lost for not working on that day by coming in to work on a rest day or holiday. You actually get paid 30% to 200% more (see holiday premiums below) for that make-up work day.
Holiday pay premiums
Holidays are meant for rest, at least in legal parlance (since they are declared by the President no less) and social norms. However, it is not illegal to work on holidays. In fact you will be rewarded handsomely if you do:
For regular holidays as provided for under EO 203 (incorporated in EO 292) as amended by RA 9177:New Year’s Day – January 1Maundy Thursday – Movable DateGood Friday – Movable DateAraw ng Kagitingan – April 9Labor Day – May 1Independence Day – June 12National Heroes Day- Last Sunday of AugustBonifacio Day – November 30Eidul Fitr – Movable DateChristmas Day – December 25Rizal Day – December 30the following rules shall apply:1. If it is an employee’s regular workdayIf unworked – 100%If worked1st 8 hours – 200%Excess of 8 hours – plus 30% of hourly rate on said day2. If it is an employee’s rest dayIf unworked – 100%If worked1st 8 hours – plus 30% of 200%Excess of 8 hours – plus 30% of hourly rate on said day2. For declared special days such as Special Non-Working Day, Special Public Holiday, Special National Holiday, in addition to the two nationwide special days (November 1, All Saints Day and December 31, Last Day of the Year) listed under EO 203, as amended, the following rules shall apply:If unworkedNo pay, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment of wages on special days even if unworked.If worked1st 8 hours – plus 30% of the daily rate of 100%Excess of 8 hours – plus 30% of hourly rate on said day3. Falling on the employee’s rest day and if worked1st 8 hours – plus 50% of the daily rate of 100%excess of 8 hours – plus 30% of hourly rate on said day
Here's an observation: Have you noticed lately that a lot of people now travel to different spots in our beloved country as local tourists? Isn't it awesome? We may not have realized it but this is due to an increase in disposable income of a large pool of Filipinos. And to Cebu Pacific as well for offering cheap fares for "Juan" and forcing other airliners to do the same. While that is great, it is giving a bit of a problem. These holiday getaways are getting way too crowded. In this vein, it actually is a smart idea that you take your vacations with family and friends on off-peak days and seasons. You may actually get better deals that way.
Fewer stress, higher productivity
If you are like me who is always pulled into meetings and sucked into high priority emails, you will love working when people are out vacationing. While meetings are a necessary evil, you just can't get actual work done when you are in it. These are serious time wasters: an hour meeting with five people involved means five working hours down the drain. Going to the office when pretty much everyone is out gives you that time you need for yourself and will get those creative juices flowing uninterrupted.
Ever wonder why for some of us feel like we get a lot of work done when we burn the midnight oil? Yep, you guessed it - less interruptions. Sure, you probably had a deadline to beat but if you were to do that at, say, 2 in the afternoon you will probably have raised hell on anyone who would be going over your desk for a quick chat.
To add to that, random interruptions are one of the top reasons why people are stressed at work according to a survey conducted by Bill Wilkerson (CEO, The Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health). The last thing any office soldier needs right now is stress. While it can be argued that going out on vacations or holidays are great stress relievers (and isn't this the irony of this piece),
but wouldn't it be great to work at the same time not have stress?
* sources: businessknowledgesource.com, Phillipine e-legal Forum
