Resumes, holy days of obligation, and time I can't work

[TarkanAttila]

I think I’ve learned something from the past week of my work, which ends tonight: I really need to make it clearer that I do not want to work Sundays and holy days of obligation - as well as some festivals like Corpus Christi.

I have two questions:

1. When I go to apply for a job, or for an interview, what would be the best way for me to tell my potential employer that, although I can, I do not wish to work on certain days of the year, including Sundays, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Corpus Christi, Ascension Thursday (Holy Day of Obligation in my diocese), Christmas and Easter of course, and Mary Mother of God (Jan 1)?
2. Am I asking too much? I realise I could get a dispensation for these. But I want to celebrate them. I also realise some jobs - such as being a CNA - will require me to work hours that may clash with my religious desires. I get that. Am I asking too much?

All in all, how to I tell my employer I want these days off without pressuring them into thinking they’re mandatory?

 

[Neofight]

Whether a religious obligation or a personal whim, the interview is not the appropriate time or place to bring this up.

Three things you might consider, which work for me…vacation, Or time off without pay, or attend a mass that fits your schedule.

If not at your parish, somewhere in your diocese you are likely to find a mass to accommodate your schedule, even if it is inconvenient.

I typical use a paid day off (vacation or personL day) for Good Friday, because it is such an event filled day at the Parish and church, and if I didn’t want to burn a vacation day (or didn’t have any left), I took the day off without pay.

No matter how you do it, it will take planning and sacrifice, but isn’t God worth both?

Peace and all good!

 

[Brianmcg321]

As someone who does a lot of interviews I would roll my eyes at this and consider another candidate. When you lump all this in together it sounds like “I want lots of days off”. Not a good impression to leave a potential employer.

Almost all employers offer vacation days and personal days that you can use for these. Just ask off in advance.

 

[stinkcat_14]

I wouldn’t bring it up until you have an offer, because you are in a weak bargaining position until then. Once you have an offer, you have more bargaining position, although you are not invincible because they can always rescind the offer.

 

[TarkanAttila]

As someone who does a lot of interviews I would roll my eyes at this and consider another candidate. When you lump all this in together it sounds like “I want lots of days off”. Not a good impression to leave a potential employer.

Almost all employers offer vacation days and personal days that you can use for these. Just ask off in advance.

I kind of feel like I’m giving off the vibe that “I want lots of days off” anyway.

I dunno. Since I started work on the 19th of March, I’ve asked to take off every Friday during Lent - to help at the local fish fry - Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, and Corpus Christi. I haven’t asked for any other days, not even my birthday (today incidentally). And I have been begging my boss to let me off of Sundays.

Emotions aside, rationally speaking, am I asking way too much?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

As someone who does a lot of interviews I would roll my eyes at this and consider another candidate. When you lump all this in together it sounds like “I want lots of days off”. Not a good impression to leave a potential employer.

I agree. When I ask a candidate if they have any questions and their questions have to do with vacation time or benefits, I don’t get the impression they’re going to be dedicated employees. Since there are always multiple candidates available, the “vacation” person is not likely to rise to the top of the hiring list.

I kind of feel like I’m giving off the vibe that “I want lots of days off” anyway.

I dunno. Since I started work on the 19th of March, I’ve asked to take off every Friday during Lent - to help at the local fish fry - Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, and Corpus Christi. I haven’t asked for any other days, not even my birthday (today incidentally). And I have been begging my boss to let me off of Sundays.

Emotions aside, rationally speaking, am I asking way too much?

Personally, yes, I think you’re asking for a lot of time off.

I don’t know how shifts are assigned so having Fridays off may be fine if that’s one of your regular days off. If it’s a day when you are normally assigned to work then taking a bunch of days off early in your employment is not the way to make a good impression.

My impression based on this thread is that you’re young and working in a part-time job unrelated to your career goals. It’s a way to earn a few bucks for incidental expenses while you’re going to school or pursuing something else. If that’s not what it is – if it’s a career or a gateway to a career – then you need to take it much more seriously. Similarly, if you want a good reference when you move on to another position, you need to take it more seriously.

And you’re kidding about your birthday, right? You think you deserve some kind of recognition for working on a day you’re supposed to work? Yeesh…

 

[Kal2012]

Short answer: yes, I think you are asking for too much.

Long answer:

Have you offered to work another day since you don’t want to work Sundays?

Employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for religious reasons, but I would feel guilty about asking for so much time off.

I understand taking Good Friday off, if your company doesn’t offer it as a holiday.

However, It’s not a requirement for Catholics to abstain from work on Fridays during Lent or work the fish fry (that’s a volunteer thing). I never would have considered asking for the time off in that case, unless your company has a culture where volunteering in the community is expected and encouraged. Even if the thought crossed my mind, I would have asked for a half-day, not a full day. As a worker, you do have obligations to your employer.

Taking so much time off really raises the chances of creating ill will between you and your employer and your coworkers. Being a “team-player” is really important in most companies these days. It’s hard to be a “team-player” if you aren’t there.

You can get dispensations from your priest to miss Holy Days of Obligation if there isn’t a mass that fits your schedule.

My suggestion would be to find a job at a Catholic facility that has a chapel which holds regular masses on-site. I know they exist because some medical professionals on CAF have talked about attending mass there when things are slow during their shifts. (Or when they get off a shift)…

I’ve seen it way too many times. People take time off here, then they get sick, then they need to take more time off for this reason or that, then they are surprised when the employer lets them go. Don’t start down the road to being “that” person.

Employers will put up with a lot to keep good employees, but after a certain point, they want someone who will actually be at work, not just on their payroll.

I love the Lord too, but sometimes we are in stages of life where we just can’t worship him as we desire.

I hope you find a solution that works for both you and your employer.

 

[agnes_therese]

I kind of feel like I’m giving off the vibe that “I want lots of days off” anyway.

I dunno. Since I started work on the 19th of March, I’ve asked to take off every Friday during Lent - to help at the local fish fry - Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, and Corpus Christi. I haven’t asked for any other days, not even my birthday (today incidentally). And I have been begging my boss to let me off of Sundays.

Emotions aside, rationally speaking, am I asking way too much?

Speaking from the HR viewpoint – yes, you’ve been asking for a LOT of days off, for a new employee. Seriously. And I say that as a practicing Catholic, who has complete sympathy for wanting to observe holy days of obligation.

Really, is your schedule such that there is no possible Mass you could attend on these days if you work? And while helping with the local fish fry is laudable, it’s not something that’s urgent.

You haven’t said what a “normal” schedule would be for you – if you don’t mind sharing, that might be helpful.

 

[Tablefor9]

With the others…YES, you are asking too much, particularly if you are in a medical/nursing position. Sick or laboring patients just keep coming, nevermind if it’s a Holy Day. Someone must be there to meet the needs. Other employees also have a right to those days off, and your demand on them is no more valid than another’s. A potential hire who tells me they have to have the entire Holy Week off–will make it immediately to the NOT pile.

The better way to handle this would be to use alternate means available after the hire. If self scheduling is an option, schedule Fridays off during Lent, but work more than your share in ordinary time. Use your PTO days wisely, only after you’ve played let’s make a deal with every available colleague. Get creative; will someone come in early for you to go to the evening Mass if you come in early for them tomorrow? (Hint: Probably so, if you work hard and show up.)

 

[Sunbreak]

*"Since I started work on the 19th of March, I’ve asked to take off every Friday during Lent - to help at the local fish fry - Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, and Corpus Christi. I haven’t asked for any other days, not even my birthday (today incidentally). And I have been begging my boss to let me off of Sundays.

Emotions aside, rationally speaking, am I asking way too much?"*

Yes, that is absolutely too much. If I was an employer I would wonder whether you were serious about your job at all. You are there to meet the employer’s needs. That’s why they hired you. It’s great that you want to help at the local fish fry during Lent, but this really is no different than wanting the day off for fun purposes. It’s your personal preference, not a Catholic religious requirement. Also, your boss does not have to give you Sunday off but must only try to accommodate your need to go to Sunday Mass either on Saturday or Sunday. This doesn’t mean you have to be given time to go to a noon Mass just because that’s the time you want to go to. It means you should have the opportunity to go to a Mass even if that means you have to do it Saturday evening or 6:30 am on Sunday.

 

[Catholic1954]

I think I’ve learned something from the past week of my work, which ends tonight: I really need to make it clearer that I do not want to work Sundays and holy days of obligation - as well as some festivals like Corpus Christi.

I have two questions:

1. When I go to apply for a job, or for an interview, what would be the best way for me to tell my potential employer that, although I can, I do not wish to work on certain days of the year, including Sundays, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Corpus Christi, Ascension Thursday (Holy Day of Obligation in my diocese), Christmas and Easter of course, and Mary Mother of God (Jan 1)?
2. Am I asking too much? I realise I could get a dispensation for these. But I want to celebrate them. I also realise some jobs - such as being a CNA - will require me to work hours that may clash with my religious desires. I get that. Am I asking too much?

All in all, how to I tell my employer I want these days off without pressuring them into thinking they’re mandatory?

You are probably asking too much. If you present a future employer with a list of days you want off if hired, I doubt if they will seriously consider you for the job. If you don’t say anything at the interview and are hired and then want certain days off, your employer will feel like you were not honest at the interview and you risk resentment from your co-workers who also like to have Sundays off, etc. The Church does not require you to refrain from working on these days, and there are other ways you can celebrate them besides not working. You are competing with plenty of people looking for jobs and employers are not interested in the ones who want to set their own schedule.

 

[TarkanAttila]

OK, first of all, thank you to everyone for all your (name removed by moderator)ut. It’s been very helpful!

This is just a part-time job at a local restaurant, but this is good (name removed by moderator)ut for the next job I go to, which will be a much more serious piece most likely. And I do plan to work even on Sundays at that job (and I think I get the protocol in that case; ask for a dispensation to go on a day which I have off, if I can’t get to another Mass).

But as for my current job, my current schedule is Friday and Saturday from 5:30~10:30 PM, Sunday from 5:00~9:30 PM. But if other hours open up, or other employees become available, I can change, add or remove the hours. It’s relatively flexible.

I’ll admit openly I originally put on my application that I was open to any day. I was only given three days of the week to start with, Thursday, Wednesday, and I believe Monday. I said I could not work Fridays until I think it was a couple weeks. And they didn’t seem to mind.

Then I began CNA class in April, and I told them due to class I could not work those hours anymore, but only on the weekends. So I got Saturday and Sunday, out of necesssity. So I’ve had that schedule for about a month, and I’ve kept those days 'til the present. No one else is qualified to do the work I do, if I understand correctly, on Sunday. (I just run counter. But that’s important enough.) Only this week have I gotten Fridays as well.

Last Sunday I took off to support my parish (at a festival, and yes, that is basically fun time), and I wanted to take this next Sunday, Corpus Christi, off to celebrate in a Eucharistic procession. That’s still in the air. And I have a family renunion on the 13th of July, but from your posts I think I’ve already taken it too far.

My boss’s main problem was, basically, I said I could work on any day, and apparently this has not been the case. I admit he has been very generous; I would have expected him to say “no”, as none of what I’m asking is required. I don’t know if I made that point clear enough, but I do know I don’t need to do any of this, and he should be free to say “you work on this day anyway”.

In any case, thank you, and I am keeping this in mind for my next application. Thanks!

 

[thequeen]

I have worked for a major retailer for nearly thirty years and I fixed my schedule to where I get off at 3:30 on Saturday evening that way I can go to 5 p.m Mass on Saturday at the Cathedral downtown. For Holy week I just ask for that week off a month in advance with pay same for holy days of obligation except i usually don’t get paid for those days.

 

[agnes_therese]

But as for my current job, my current schedule is Friday and Saturday from 5:30~10:30 PM, Sunday from 5:00~9:30 PM. But if other hours open up, or other employees become available, I can change, add or remove the hours. It’s relatively flexible.

Since you’re working Sunday evenings, there’s no need to ask for the whole day off; you can go to any morning or early afternoon Mass.

I’ll admit openly I originally put on my application that I was open to any day. I was only given three days of the week to start with, Thursday, Wednesday, and I believe Monday. I said I could not work Fridays until I think it was a couple weeks. And they didn’t seem to mind.

Maybe they didn’t seem to mind, but let me tell you, this is a big deal. When you hire someone based partly on their availability, and then they change it a couple of weeks later without a really good justification, it looks as though they may have lied to get hired.

Then I began CNA class in April, and I told them due to class I could not work those hours anymore, but only on the weekends.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but we’re always happy to work with someone who is going back to school. Pre-supposing, of course, that they let us know ahead of time (“Hey, I’m looking into going back to school. Looks like my schedule might be something like xyz. Could you work with me on that?”). But on top of your “Fridays just for the fish fry” request, it might not be so welcome.

Last Sunday I took off to support my parish (at a festival, and yes, that is basically fun time), and I wanted to take this next Sunday, Corpus Christi, off to celebrate in a Eucharistic procession. That’s still in the air.

But if you work Sunday evenings, why do you need to be off work for the procession?

And I have a family renunion on the 13th of July, but from your posts I think I’ve already taken it too far.

Most definitely.

 

[1ke]

I kind of feel like I’m giving off the vibe that “I want lots of days off” anyway.

I dunno. Since I started work on the 19th of March, I’ve asked to take off every Friday during Lent - to help at the local fish fry - Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, and Corpus Christi. I haven’t asked for any other days, not even my birthday (today incidentally). And I have been begging my boss to let me off of Sundays.

Emotions aside, rationally speaking, am I asking way too much?

Yes, you are. I am shocked a new employer would let you have all those days off in your first 90 days. I would have already told you to knock it off or shown you the door.

 

[TarkanAttila]

Since you’re working Sunday evenings, there’s no need to ask for the whole day off; you can go to any morning or early afternoon Mass.

As a general note to your whole post - and everyone else, too - thank you. I have not been working long, and I have no sense of balance between my faith life and my work life. Thank you for giving me some perspective.

I do go to Mass in the morning, with plenty of time before work. But I do not want to work Sunday if I don’t have to because - well, doesn’t the Church teach us we should not work on Sunday if it’s not necessary to? I don’t want it to be. Granted, I doubt I’d end up doing much better with my Sunday nights anyway, but if I had Sunday night off, I’d be more in-line with the Church’s will.

Maybe they didn’t seem to mind, but let me tell you, this is a big deal. When you hire someone based partly on their availability, and then they change it a couple of weeks later without a really good justification, it looks as though they may have lied to get hired.

Duly noted. And again, I’m going to seriously reduce the amount of time I take off for church activities that conflict with my schedule in the future.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but we’re always happy to work with someone who is going back to school. Pre-supposing, of course, that they let us know ahead of time (“Hey, I’m looking into going back to school. Looks like my schedule might be something like xyz. Could you work with me on that?”).

So my boss said. In fact she gets a lot of students. It’s a good job for that sort of thing.

But on top of your “Fridays just for the fish fry” request, it might not be so welcome.

Duly noted. It will never happen again.

But if you work Sunday evenings, why do you need to be off work for the procession?

It goes until 5:00 PM, and it is a ways away from my place of business. I could not get there in time.

Most definitely.

Thank God I have not been fired yet. I will definitely keep what you’ve said in mind, and cool my jets on the “extracurricular” sacred activities if I ever manage to get hired again.