Three Four-Day Holiday Weekends to End the Year for City Hallers

[XLFD]

Here is a list of holidays for 2011 for Federal Government employees, established by law:  2011 Fed Holidays

 

In the next two months notice that they get Thankgiving Day off, as well as the day after Christmas and the day after New Years (as both holidays fall on a Sunday).  Three days off for holidays.

 

Here is a list of holidays for any year for the State of Michigan Government employees:  MCL 435.101, and this explains what happens when a holiday falls on Sunday:  MCL 435.102

 

State employees get Thanksgiving and the day after New Years and Christmas this year as well, just like Federal government employees.  Three days off for holidays.

 

Of course, if you work Monday- Friday in the private sector, you're likely to get Thanksgiving off, but might not get any off for the other holidays and their eves which fall on the weekend.

 

Here is a list of holidays for the Ludington City Hall:

 

That's six days off, and three four-day paid holiday weekends by our City Hall staff.  While State and Federal Employees get only three days off in the same period, and zero four -day weekends.  Of course, there is no ordinance that says what holidays the City employees get, so they can take Groundhog Day and Kwanzaa off too if they decreed it as so. 

 

Ask your City Councilor(s) why they do not establish an ordinance that defines what holidays the City Hall staff can take off and restricts the City Manager from creating new holidays like Day-After Thanksgiving, Day-Before-Christmas-Eve, and Day-Before-New-Years-Eve. 

 

It looks like I won't be the only one not going to City Hall very much in the next two months.

[Lisa O'Brien]

I work in the private sector and get Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas day , Eve and News year Day , and Eve off. If they happen to fall on a weekend I get the Monday and or Friday off.  Most employers take this into account, this is part of the benefits package. Just as in the past if we were busy my employer would request that we work the days and take off another paid day. When I worked in the retail sector, taking busy shopping days off like the day after Thanksgiving was a no no. It all depends on what sector you work in. 

[Willy]

Lisa is correct. Also, most union contracts have the same kind of benefit as far as holidays. I think Ludington workers are unionized so I'm sure it's in their contract.

[XLFD]

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind seeing those guys take more days off if it means they do less damage to the area.  But I think it should be codified and reflect the state laws.  I don't think our local officials merit more time off than state and federal employees, particularly when their fringe benefits are already at 53% of their salary for those that work at City Hall.  Salarywise, I think they are being well paid for their limited effectiveness.

And I think I've been working in the wrong jobs; no job I've had, union or not,has ever had six days off for the holidays-- but I've done some teaching and that features even better time off around the holidays and in summers. 

[Lisa O'Brien]

According to http://www.michigan.gov/dhs/0,4562,7-124-5455_9775---,00.html  the state has 11 paid Holidays in 2011, Federal has 9 http://www.opm.gov/operating_status_schedules/fedhol/2011.asp . I'm not sure how many the local government has off in Ludington - because the list I saw only has future holidays, I'm sure if I check back in January they will have the complete list. Paid Holidays, sick time, personal days and vacation days are all part of the benefits package.

[XLFD]

Lisa, your federal link is the same as my first one above, and the State link shows that certain State agencies are taking extra days off, with little regard to the state laws.  Some aren't. 

As to the latter, I don't like the idea of public service unions deciding what times government can take holidays contrary to established law.  So this is not just a Ludington problem-- State and other local governments are abusing the privilege thanks to public unions pushing fringes and benefits up more than comparable private sector jobs.  Big government types love powerful public unions.  As my partner in thought, Philoso-raptor, would say:

  

[Lisa O'Brien]

Love the poster.

[AQUAMAN]

Must have lost his manicurist, or at least the nail clippers.....lol.

[Marty Redman]

It looks like cities in my state (IL) also take the extra days off for the most part.  You know your in a good job when you get a holiday when the mailman doesn't.  Rick Perry came out with the idea of making congress part-time.  When city and state offices take extra time off, it just lends credence to thinking that all of these people there could get the job done in 3 days per week all the time, with reduced pay and benefits. 

Take Monday and Friday off, and be like many of the rest of your constituents, get a second or third part-time job to supplement your income.