Enforced Holidays

[northernladuk]

Anyway - does anyone know WHY they do this? Trying to make December balance look better? Assuming so many permies are on holiday that managing contractors efficiently will be too hard?

They have a large and very strict change freeze window due to the volume of use they have over xmas so while I was there nearly every network project had a 2 month freeze built in so was nothing to do anyway. General approaching xmas attitude and a chance to save some decent dosh to look better for the shareholders I guess.

[psychocandy]

RBS is 10 days and it can be any 10 days from 1st Oct to 31 Dec and you can include the 2 banks hols over xmas in that so only really 8 days off. However this is in additional to the forced compliance leave of 2 weeks applicable for all contractors / consultants.

And of course, Jan 2nd is also a bank hol.

[centurian]

And of course, Jan 2nd is also a bank hol.

Yes, but that won't count as one of the ten, because it aint in Q4 - where they are trying to reduce cash out.

[northernladuk]

And of course, Jan 2nd is also a bank hol.

[BolshieBastard]

Dont understand the beef really. Who wants to work over the christmas period!?

I always take time off from the monday week before christmas to the first working day of the NY, bank client or not!

[Wanderer]

Dont understand the beef really. Who wants to work over the christmas period!?

I normally do, it's nice and quiet in the office and a day's work is a day's pay. Trying to go anywhere and do anything at Christmas time is a PITA so I'd rather work through it and take the time off some other time

[Crack Addick]

Are you saying Citi won't let you include the days between Christmas and New Year in your ten days furlough?

Yes/No. Officially I could just tell them that I'm not available that week, per clause xyz in my contract.

However, if I don't work it, the permie manager will have to cover and he has a new family, while I don't have any kids. I really feel sorry for him, as the people above him are the biggest bunch of halfwits I've ever come across.

Interesting choice of the word furlough. Exact term Citi used.....

[kaiser78]

Dont understand the beef really. Who wants to work over the christmas period!?

I always take time off from the monday week before christmas to the first working day of the NY, bank client or not!

Agree - I am more than happy to have an enforced break over Xmas. Saves having to request then only to be told no (which has happened before).

[the_rangdo]

as the people above him are the biggest bunch of halfwits I've ever come across.

Nothing changes there then.

I remember back in 2001 when they had a party to celebrate going past £1bn receivables (card portfolio) and how in 5 years they'd be taking on the Barclaycards of the world.

Since then they've successfully laid waste to The Associates and Egg while the senior bods still hop around Citi global on 2 year rotations.

[d000hg]

They have a large and very strict change freeze window due to the volume of use they have over xmas so while I was there nearly every network project had a 2 month freeze built in so was nothing to do anyway. General approaching xmas attitude and a chance to save some decent dosh to look better for the shareholders I guess.

So it is actually sensible in a way - genuinely they don't have (or have less) work for the contractors? Seems a bit odd to stall all in-development systems though, that are not even in production.