Just Be There Blog

Two

Vacation day, holiday weekend, holiday pay

Once again I have a job which awards vacation time and holiday pay. This weekend I'm taking advantage of both perks to have two short four day work weeks in a row at full 40 hour/week pay and a four day weekend or a mini vacation with two days paid...Working the system as allowed by this company. The last company I worked for who allowed vacation time wouldn't let an employee take a vacation day concurrent with a holiday weekend. Basically, you had to work the scheduled day before and the day after to be eligible for the holiday pay. This company's policy states the employee must work the workday before 'or' after to be eligible for the holiday pay. The difference being, as long as I go to work on Tuesday after the Memorial Day holiday I will receive the days wage for the holiday.

The difference between two small words: "and", "or" can mean the difference between inclusive (and) conditions or exclusive, optional, (either or) conditions.

The short side to this benefit I have discovered with this particular company policy is, I can arrange to have four day weekends with two days paid by using one paid vacation day in conjunction with a paid holiday. This time I chose to take the Friday before the Monday holiday off. I could have taken the Tuesday off after the holiday instead. The difference would have been, I worked the full week this week and then had a three day work week the next week. Another perk with this company occurs around the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving falls on the third Thursday of November and many companies will pay for the Thursday but not the Friday. This company pays for both days. So on Thanksgiving I will be getting another four day weekend, only this time I won't have to take a vacation day at all. Just one of the reasons I like working for this particular company.

I will never get rich working for this company, in fact, the wages they pay won't even put me into a middle class wage level. Working a full 40 hour work week I can barely pay for all my cost of living expenses as well as extras such as groceries, clothing, interstate travel or medical co-pays. I pay my percentage for medical insurance "benefits" my company is required by law to supply their employees, which means my take home pay is even less than an individual who has no insurance and is paid $1.50/hour less than me. I know this because last year I was making $1.50/hour less than I am now, working for a temp agency who isn't required by law to have health insurance for their "clients." Last year, I could afford better groceries and even replace tattered or stained clothing as needed. This year, I've discovered, I now have to make choices. Yes, I have health insurance, but I can't afford to use it without giving up something else. At the beginning of this month I finally paid off the mechanic's bill incurred last March (five paydays). A necessary expense so that I could get to work. I thought, I'd have some extra $$ at the end of this month to make a short road trip to visit my son and his family just a few hours travel and 1 tank of gas from where I live. I discovered that I was mistaken. The price of gas went up thirty cents per gallon and I discovered I don't have enough $$ on hand to pay for three tanks of gas (one tank to get there, one tank to get back and one tank to get to work the next week) between now and next payday. So I am spending my mini-vacation at home. I'm saving money by not driving anywhere for the next four days. Amazing how a mere thirty cents per gallon increase in gasoline has deprived me of visiting family over the holiday weekend.

Maybe, I will splurge and buy that needed underwear I've been putting off buying. At least if something happens and I'm rushed to the hospital, I will have some of my dignity left. After all, I do have medical insurance now through my job. That is something...Right?