State planning work day on Friday after Thanksgiving

Employees unhappy with loss of ‘benefit’

Sunday, November 14, 2010

For only the second time in nearly three decades, Missouri government workers have been told they must work the day after Thanksgiving.

The problem for some Missouri government workers is, many have come to expect that day as a holiday even though it is not part of the state law authorizing official days when state government is closed.

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For the current administration, in these tight budget times, the state can save between $1 million and $2 million in overtime costs — extra money that would have to be paid to employees such as highway patrol and corrections officers who would have to work that Friday, regardless of whether or not it’s declared a holiday.

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hollywood1202 2 years, 6 months ago

Take a vacation day. State workers have plenty. Many non state workers have to work that day also.

magnum 2 years, 6 months ago

Not everybody can take a vacation day, if the offices are open. The simple solution would have been to close the offices, but not as a paid holiday. The workers would have the option of taking a vacation day, using comp time, or for that matter simply taking a day without pay. But as long as an office is open, some people will not be able to take vacation.

jeffcitygirl 2 years, 6 months ago

Some people do not have enough vacation time saved up to take that day, and like magnum says SOMEONE has to be here to provide services to the public since we are to be open for business.

magnum 2 years, 6 months ago

Yeah in the scenario I proposed it would have been necessary to have announced this is advance so that people could make sure they saved a vacation day.

mywords 2 years, 6 months ago

Just because I have a vacation day does not mean I should be forced to use it. I am pregnant and have to save all my days for maternity leave.

3blindmice 2 years, 6 months ago

many non state employees are paid much better than state employees. That was one of the perks to a state job, extra vacation days. But now with vacation days being stolen, the worst pay out of all fifty states and having to give more to retirement and insurance out of their paltry pay why the hell would anyone take a job from the state of missouri these days?

JCLifer 2 years, 6 months ago

Don't forget all the FTEs that One Term Jay (OTJ) took from several of the departments because he could not live within his own budget for the Governor's Office.

State workers get no respect around here. Their jobs suck, their pay sucks. No one wants to work there. Everyone just wants to belittle and make fun of state workers who just get stuck over and over and over.

gofish 2 years, 6 months ago

More employee appreciation by the governor that eats his own.

JCLifer 2 years, 6 months ago

One would think with all the money they saved by scrapping the differed comp contributions they could afford to let employees continue to have time to spend with their families. Many folks were counting on this day to travel to be with their loved ones over the holiday weekend.

misshoneybee 2 years, 6 months ago

If being off work November 26th was so doggone important, why did the powers that be allow the state to be closed on July 5th of this year to supposedly celebrate the '4th'? That was THE dumbest stuff I ever heard of. I'm sure that most state workers would have preferred to be off the day after Thanksgiving of this year than Monday, July 5th.

magnum 2 years, 6 months ago

Monday, July 5th was actually a legal holiday by law. It's common practice to observe it on Monday if the 4th falls on Sunday. Same thing with Christmas or New Years. This is not a new concept.

However there WERE other holidays that I'm sure many if not most would have gladly traded to have kept this day. Unfortunately when I wrote to numerous legislators regarding this during the session they mostly ignored and wouldn't even consider it. And that's the real shame here, there was a way to accomplish both, save some money in the budget but also save this family holiday. But politicians being what they are, couldn't work it out.

3kids 2 years, 6 months ago

This is a joke. How many people think the govenor will lead by example and be in his office the day after Thanksgiving or do you think he will be home spending time with family. So many state just take some vacation time; not everyone can take the time they have saved up no matter if it is vacation or comp time because only a certain number of people are allowed off. How many think its first come first serve? Guess again it is the favorites who get to take off at every holiday and that is why some get bitter. Do you know how many state employees said they would be willing to take the day with no pay just to be able to spend time with family? Schools are closed which and so are daycares so guess what this puts parents in a huge bind. Some say well I dont have that day off you took a job that you knew in advance wasnt off for that day but the state in over 26 yrs the govenors have given the day after as a holiday to let employees take time with their families. Im curious if so many businesses work the day after does that mean that all those black friday shoppers were just state workers if so then businesses should be really worried. I can tell you I will be buying less for my children because I dont have the extra money now to pay the higher costs for some of the stuff they asked for. There are those of you that will say good it will save you money...but will it save our economy on money will it boost our revenue will it put more people to work or will it work the opposite? Time to start thinking about the true costs to the state. If we arent spending our money do you think those extra jobs in retail will be there even if they are temp jobs? If those arent there that takes away more income. And remember that state workers are tax payers themselves and they also service other state workers with the jobs they do as well as the general public.

mdwmaadb 2 years, 6 months ago

The biggest joke is how anyone in their right mind can come up with the number of 1-2 million saved. For 1 million alone would be 20,000 state employees making $50.00 an hour at overtime rate. WOW since when did the state of Missouri employees become so well paid when they are ranked 49th out of 50 states. Citizen’s of Missouri, make the state be responsible in a sensible way, cut the governors staff and the cronies that are his figure heads and let the everyday employee’s do their jobs. This is accountability, not taking more from those 90% at the bottom of the barrel here.

jeffcitygirl 2 years, 6 months ago

I'm not whining about losing it, honestly I'm not, I am happy to have a job at all BUT what irks me is that this governor has NO respect for his "employees". Did he address us directly in person or even by memo to tell us he was not granting the holiday? No, we had to hear it through media outlets. No issuance of a nice memo saying "I appreciate how hard you are working, "doing more with less" and I regret to inform you but due to budget constraints we will not be able to allow wokres off on the day after thanksgiving..." He refused to directly tell us to our faces/inboxes. All we got from him was a big cold shoulder and no communication. It hurts, it really makes you feel like he could care less about morale of his workers. Do you know he didn't even bother to appear at at the state employee appreciation day event? No we will not vote against him for not giving us one holiday. I will vote against him for taking away our retirement match, for cutting and cutting and cutting every agencies staff EXCEPT his own overpaid staff, for complete lack of consideration and respect to those that work for him. I will not vote for him again as he PRIDES himself with attacking state workers in order to make himself look good to the public.

nunyabidness 2 years, 6 months ago

Hear hear jcgirl, you said it very well.

wcywing 2 years, 6 months ago

i thought Holden was bad, thank goodness i'm not a state worker. there was a time it use to be a stable job.

two_cents_worth 2 years, 6 months ago

I'll just order my Christmas online this year...No sales tax!

CMNI_Webmaster 2 years, 6 months ago

I might just poke fun at myself on this and ask you to please not shop at any of the spammers we had... :)

However you choose to spend you holiday, enjoy.

TEDDY 2 years, 6 months ago

webmaster made a funny ;)

3kids 2 years, 6 months ago

Its funny how all along the govenor kept quoting it was going to save the state $2million to make state workers work the day after thanksgiving...now its $1million - $2 million...personally I would like to see exactly how it will save the state these millions not just hear that it comes from overtime paid...because we dont get overtime we get comp time and most of us then dont get to use it. This is truelly a big joke. How much will we save at the buildings where the lights would be off for 4 days straight? What about turning the heat down on those days...how much saved? Loss of revenue due to lack of shoppers spending more than they will now that they have to stay at work...oh wait lack of revenue due to many deciding to use the walmart free shipping and deciding they will shop online instead so Missouri wont see that revenue...guess it wont be so bad after all...think I will do that just like many others and take the time to get up early catch the specials online not pay Missouri taxes on it and get free shipping...yep that will help the economy and help make sure we keep people working in our retail stores...yep Jay you are right millions saved

wcywing 2 years, 6 months ago

was the day after thanksgiving a paid holiday or just a day off? i'm not sure how it save money, then again i'm not the governor, but still.

misshoneybee 2 years, 6 months ago

I could MAYBE see the state giving the following Monday off for Christmas, if, by chance, it happened to fall on a Sunday. But to do this junk this year for the 4th? That was just plain stupid! There was no good reason why the state needed to be closed on the 5th of July. There WAS a holiday--Sunday, July 4th. THAT was the day the of the big fireworks display on the barge behind the capitol building. I sure as heck didn't see any fireworks going off on July 5th! But I sure hear them NOW, what with all of the people miffed about not being off the day after Thanksgiving. Which is understandable because there are people with children that will be out of school for the holiday break. I do believe the kids went to school this year on July 5th. Perhaps OA should have given this a little more thought...

sillyrabbit 2 years, 6 months ago

But we all need July 5th off to recover from helping the economy with all our drinking and philandering done on our nation's birthday honey.

misshoneybee 2 years, 6 months ago

Ohhhhhhhhhh....an Edith Bunker moment! Far be it from little ol' honeybee to disrupt any July 4th partying that may boost our struggling Missouri economy! I understand now, sillyrabbit, no one wants to go to work to listen to whining, complaining, unappreciative citizens while recovering from a hangover.~LOL~

1kid 2 years, 6 months ago

According to the story in last Sundays paper, all we state workers have to do is ask for November 26th off. Not true. Only a few can be off in any one section. Also untrue is that you can get your drivers license renewed or pay your taxes on that day. According to the JC Contract office "we have it in our contract to have November 26th off" They also do not work the that be something to ponder if they even cared, which they don't.

3kids 2 years, 6 months ago

How many of the Contract offices will be closed because its in their contracts...Maybe this is something for the Newstribune to look into? How many businesses are giving their employees off for black friday and which businesses in our area will be open for business as usual? We all know retail businesses, hospitals (many of the doctors offices are closed & dental offices closed), banks are open, policemen and firemen will be working...but what of our other business are they closed or open? Scholastics? RR Donnelly? Delongs? ABB? if everyone is working how many will actually be at the sales? And how will this effect our economy?

muleman 2 years, 6 months ago

I really wonder how many people will need state services on black friday

gofish 2 years, 6 months ago

I believe you are right...a very unproductive day by a group of disgruntled employees, who have every right to feel cheated...Again.

Maybe Jay can use the day to spend some quality time with some unemployed strippers and thier children...people he signed jobs away from to pacify a lone ex-senator. They won't be shopping on black Friday either.

3kids 2 years, 6 months ago

Yes the work ethic is dead in JC and so is business appreciating the employee. When you have employees that work hard are willing to work overtime (wait its not overtime its comp time) then are basically slapped in the face and not allowed to take their comp time or their time to have the day they lose their respect for the govenor and for the business they work for. Respect is earned not given...and the respect for our govenor is getting really low. The moral is low in most state agencies...its another slap in the face when you hear about all contract offices saying they are off the day after thanksgiving because its in their contracts

nunyabidness 2 years, 6 months ago

Graceful, do you work for the state? Just wondering.

JMO 2 years, 6 months ago

WCYWING, it was a paid day off. As they pay us whether we're here or not, it took a while to figure out the "savings" was the overtime/comp time that is paid to corrections and other workers who are required to work holidays. Now those people will only get their usual salary. It doesn't seem like that should be anywhere close to $2mil, but I don't work for the people who write the checks. Well, not directly. I AM a state worker and I was allowed to take a vacation day. I'm lucky. I had plenty of leave and won't miss 8 hours. But we are required to have people in the office that day, so someone will be here. There is plenty of work to do in my office, since we're incredibly understaffed and overworked, so I'm sure the unlucky person who has to be here will accomplish something.

Do I resent the governor not giving the day off as administrative leave? Yes. I guess in part it's because we've learned to expect it. I've worked 16+ years for the state and have always had it off. But mostly I resent it because it's being advertised as this great thing he's done, saving the state money. I resent it because people in general treat state workers like we're lazy and greedy. I am a salaried employee. I get no overtime or comp time if I work extra hours, and I do, frequently. I come in on weekends, I stay late and I take work home with me. I get no cost of living raises (for several years at least), I get my insurance cost increased, my deferred comp match dropped and I get paid, like all state workers in Missouri, very poorly compared to virtually every other state. And on top of all that, our work load keeps increasing, while staff is cut or hiring is frozen or both, so we get further and further behind, which in turn makes the general public think we're lazy and greedy.

I'm sorry, I wrote a lot more than I intended. I AM grateful to have a job. I AM grateful to have health insurance. I AM grateful to be able to take vacation and sick days when I need to. But yes, that one bonus holiday was nice. It felt like a pat on the back which is desperately needed right now.

wcywing 2 years, 6 months ago

Thanks, this sheds some light on the subject. btw, who is worse, Gov Holden or Gov Nixon?

JMO 2 years, 6 months ago

No comment - I'm sure every leader has good and bad points. I only wanted to comment on why state workers are upset about the holiday.

wedontneednobadges 2 years, 6 months ago

It's nice to see Jay leading by example. It's my understanding the Gov's office, his staff and the entire Capitol are closed the day after Thanksgiving. The issue of saving 2 million dollars is a complete exaggeration. If comp time is earned for working the holiday, it is certainly not realized monetarily by an employee. At lot of workers have hours of comp time on the books but are unable to take the time off work. It's officially beat up a State Employee Year....because you all know.....their perks are out of this world.

JMO 2 years, 6 months ago

I don't know about all departments, but I know comp time is cashed in every so often by corrections employees. They used to be able to hoard it forever and people were known to cash in enough at one time to buy cars outright. I don't think that is allowed anymore, to keep the huge paychecks from piling up. And you have to have at least 40 hours saved to cash it as well.

misshoneybee 2 years, 6 months ago

A while back, DOC employees could cash out their comp., but had to keep at least 40 hours banked. That may have changed

3kids 2 years, 6 months ago

All i can say about MV is that they arent allowing us to use ours at this time. Seems you can work (OT) oh wait its comp time...and not get to use it. Might be why alot of the workers have decided against working comp time.

misshoneybee 2 years, 6 months ago

You mean you can't give advanced written notice when you want your comp time paid to you? That's outright stinky!

1kid 2 years, 6 months ago

I was thinking that isn't it sad if you are Mrs Nixon & her kids. To be married to someone in his position & treat people like he does? Especially in the world we are living in. At this time of year to be thankful for what we have, to love & be loved. He pulls a stunt like he is on November 26th. We all know that NIxon thinks state workers are the lowest of the low. Salary is a prime example. Now we read in the paper that he wants to pressure colleges to keep tuition down because of the economy. Are we missing something? I suppose to NIxon, if making John Q. Public think the state will save money by working on November 26th, looks good in print, but they aren't stupid.

bluenurse 2 years, 6 months ago

@1kid: She is a very kind & gracious person. I've met her several times.

It's not just government workers-my job is cutting all of our hours as of Jan 1st, meaning we will be losing $ every paycheck. We also get cancelled for low census. When I was a nurse for the state, that never happened. Full time nurses are getting cancelled sometimes every other shift. Does this apply to management? Of course not! But that's the way it goes. On top of that, we have to buy new uniforms to conform with the dress code that goes into effect the beginning of next year, just when we are all getting hosed for real estate tax, personal property tax, etc.

Times are hard. We just have to deal with it.

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