Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Does anyone know if Walmart employees who work on Thanksgiving qualify for double pay? When I worked in retail and worked Thanksgiving, I received double pay when working holidays. With all of the complaints concerning Walmart being open Thanksgiving I have not seen the issue of double pay come up...Thanks.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Why are you picking on Walmart...there's a bunch of them open on Thanksgiving day at some point in time. I believe the answer to that question is no. There is no law that states that businesses must pay employee's double time for an arbitrary holiday that is used primarily to sell Turkeys and show football on TV. Or any holiday for that matter. No retail establishment that I know of pays anything more than straight time. If it isn't listed as a benefit paid holiday...nothing extra happens. Even if it is listed as a paid holiday one might be required to work it and take a different day off later.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>There is no law that states that businesses must pay employee's double time for an arbitrary holiday<< Heck, there aren't even any laws requiring paid time off on the USA at the Federal level (vacation days or paid holidays). American workers have some of the weakest rights in the world, or at least the first world.
Originally Posted By mele I hope they get extra pay...or really are happy to get away from their families by Thanksgiving evening.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Why are you picking on Walmart...there's a bunch of them open on Thanksgiving day at some point in time.<< How the hell am I picking on Walmart? Are you friggin serious? I asked a question based on a number of articles I have read this week concerning them being open on Thanksgiving. Based on my experiences 15 years ago, I got double pay for working holidays but did not know if this was the case for Walmart... Pretty simple question, although I am not surprised you tried to twist it like I was saying something I wasn't.
Originally Posted By SuperDry I know that some unionized retail gets 1.5x pay for Sunday, and 2x for holidays.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Laws are indeed weak in US compared to elsewhere. No mandatory paid holiday, vacation, or sick leave. Only protections are minimum wage and overtime.
Originally Posted By dagobert How many weeks do American get for vacation? Over here we have five weeks per year and after 30 years we get six weeks. Retail workers get double paid on Holidays, but there is only one holiday (Dec. 8th) on which it is allowed to open the shop. In addition they get one day off, too, for that day. Retail workers get also double paid on Saturdays from 13:00 to 18:00 and 1.5 times during Monday to Friday from 19:00 to 21:00. But most shops close at 19:00 and only on Friday they open until 21:00. On Sunday all shops are closed, except at train stations and airports. And of course the workers get double paid on Sunday.
Originally Posted By EdisYoda In the US: Vacation Days: Up to the employer, typically, only 1 or 2 weeks to start Sick Days: (What are these?) Up to the employer, typically tied in with Vacation days and also known as PTO (Personal Time Off) 3rd shift differential pay: Minimum standards up to the states (most dont have them) so up to the employer Holiday Pay: Up to the employer Sunday Pay: Up to the employer Retail hours (for the most part) can be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (depending on local laws).
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 I did find out that Walmart gives all full time employees 6 paid holidays, meaning they get 8 hours of pay on those holidays whether they work or not. If they work essentially they are getting double time...
Originally Posted By EdisYoda Most places that do pay Holiday Pay, will pay time and a half for those working the holiday, but not pay the holiday pay.
Originally Posted By dagobert Thanks for the answers. I found it very convenient to go shopping during night in the US, but I think it's not necessary. We did it once, but afterwards I felt sorry for the employees. Here in Austria we have a very strict Labour Law and nearly all employees and workers are part of the union. The union together with the companies negotiate a contract each year that mandates salary rises and other things. Untilnow it always worked fine for both sides.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper There is a simple answer to Wal Mart. Don't shop there. Sure, I can get lower prices on most items but I don't like feeling like I need to take a shower after I shop so I simply don't go there. I haven't been inside a Wal Mart in years.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>There is a simple answer to Wal Mart. Don't shop there. Sure, I can get lower prices on most items but I don't like feeling like I need to take a shower after I shop so I simply don't go there.<<< I didn't know that Wal-Mart is that bad. Everything was new and exciting for us, because we don't have such big stores and so we went there. However later we prefered Krogers and Meyers.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Walmart isn't that bad, they are just the scape goat for what is wrong with current labor laws..The problem lies in DC but its easier to blame Walmart.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>The problem lies in DC but its easier to blame Walmart.<< The problem in the USA is that corporations get to define most of the rules. In the past they were benevolent, mostly because of the precedents set by trade unions. But now Corporate America is becoming very emboldened and does whatever it feels like, with the old "usual and customary" benefits being slashed. A great example are retirement benefits. MOst major employers used to provide their workers with pensions. THen they started switching to savings plans (401Ks) where employers would match employee contributions. Now the matching funds benefit is starting to disappear. If they could, they would repeal minimum wage laws, which are already among the lowest in the first world.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Walmart isn't that bad, they are just the scape goat for what is wrong with current labor laws.<< Walmart is so much bigger than any other retailer, that they set the de facto standard for how retail employees (and suppliers and customers) are treated. That's what makes them "that bad". They're the 900 pound gorilla of retail, and they've used that power to drive down the entire American standard of living.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 "I did find out that Walmart gives all full time employees 6 paid holidays, meaning they get 8 hours of pay on those holidays whether they work or not. If they work essentially they are getting double time..." Not sure how Walmart does it, but a lot of employers require you to work the day before and after any holiday to get the holiday pay.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost <<<How the hell am I picking on Walmart? Are you friggin serious?>>> Chill a little there, William. You are the one that specifically asked about Walmart as if they were the only ones doing that. I just commented that they are not the only ones so it probably should have read..."do stores that are open on Thanksgiving pay double time"? <<<I didn't know that Wal-Mart is that bad.>>> They aren't that bad. They provide a lot of goods to people that otherwise would not be able to afford many things. They also provide employment to many people otherwise unemployable, but because they are not paid the same level as CEO's it is felt that they are taking advantage of employees. <<<They're the 900 pound gorilla of retail, and they've used that power to drive down the entire American standard of living.>>> That depends on what social level you are currently in at the time. They have enabled a lot of people to actually raise their standard of living. Those out of that economic grouping have many other places to go to spend more money for "higher quality" merchandise.
