Would you expect to be “compensated” if you couldn’t attend a Christmas party?

[brockash]

I was speaking with a colleague about this. He is not able to attend the Christmas party that is being paid for by our employer. He has said that he will be asking for a gift card that has a value equal to what will be paid for other staff to attend. We’re going to dinner and have to choose a starter, main and dessert from a fixed price menu of options, so he knows how much will be spent for each staff member who attends. Seems he feels he shouldn’t have to miss out on a perk from our employer because he can’t attend the party. I am of the opinion that we’re a fairly large group and you’re not likely to find a date that suits everyone and he isn’t entitled to be compensated because he can’t attend. If you’re unable to attend an employer sponsored event, does your employer make it up to you, financially?

Lol....I think he sounds like an extremely entitled insane person. I cannot imagine any company doing that...and if they did; wouldn't most ppl. choose the cash/gc over the party. So crazy.

 

[disneychrista]

I hope he was joking and if not management laughs in his face.

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

Sounds like a Kevin.

 

[Micca]

I knew some folks who were paid so little, they asked for the cash equivalent of their value at the Christmas party.

 

[Planogirl]

My company would probably fire someone like that. At least they would once they quit laughing.

 

[disykat]

My company would probably fire someone like that. At least they would once they quit laughing.

You would hope so, wouldn't you? The weird thing about it is that some places I've worked there are certain people who would get away with it!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I was speaking with a colleague about this. He is not able to attend the Christmas party that is being paid for by our employer. He has said that he will be asking for a gift card that has a value equal to what will be paid for other staff to attend. We’re going to dinner and have to choose a starter, main and dessert from a fixed price menu of options, so he knows how much will be spent for each staff member who attends. Seems he feels he shouldn’t have to miss out on a perk from our employer because he can’t attend the party. I am of the opinion that we’re a fairly large group and you’re not likely to find a date that suits everyone and he isn’t entitled to be compensated because he can’t attend. If you’re unable to attend an employer sponsored event, does your employer make it up to you, financially?

Boss could you pay me a gift card because I can't attend the Christmas dinner?

Entitled Karen alert.

 

[wenrob]

I don't think I would ask for it because I never had to. My employers either offered a gift card or brought in food to work for those who could not attend. But my employers operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so roughly 25% of the staff couldn't attend because they were working. The off site Christmas party with family members invited has kind of faded away . Now all they do is bring food into the building, , usually three deliveries, one each for each work shift.

This is how it was at my DH’s plant. Someone had to run the place while everyone else was getting hammered and eating overpriced food. The guys alternated or someone would volunteer and that person would get a gift card for where the party had been held. It was part of the budget though, not compensation and no one felt entitled to it.

 

[marthachick]

I work for a local government. We used to have work parties until people started coming to eat and then “taking a plate back for someone who couldn’t come”. But “someone” didn’t get the food. The attendee either took the food home or saved it for lunch the next day. They cut the parties out after a few years of this.

 

[EastCoastCdn]

Your colleague sounds like an ***

I have to know, how old is this employee?

He’s early 40s. He definitely has a need for things to be “fair” for him. If someone brought donuts to a staff meeting (pre-COVID), he would make a beeline to get one and make a comment about getting his before the vultures. He doesn’t hold us co-workers in high esteem, lol.

 

[soccerdad72]

I used to work with people who would choose to not go to the department holiday gathering but yell to people as they were heading out to go to it to grab the gift that they were handing out for them. There’s one (or more) in every crowd.

 

[Kitty 34]

WOW. He just might be a little entitled.

I can't wait to hear whether he actually does ask for a gift card -- and what the employer's response is!

A moment I would like to be a fly on the wall in the boss's office.

 

[mrodgers]

Ha, this is hilarious. We didn't even get to participate in anything if we were scheduled to work on the day of the Christmas party. No tickets for the gift raffle. No gift card. But we would get dinner, usually pizza which was far better than our cheap at the time manager who fired the fantastic caterer we always had for parties and went with the vending machine company and fake meat burgers.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

A lot of people do feel that way. We're going into our second year with no corporate festivities as Covid restrictions still prohibit large private gatherings. I'm sorry about it. Ours is typically cocktail hour, dinner and dancing at a super-fancy venue and although I didn't go every year, I did like them.

DH's company held it at the boss's house for the first two years he worked there. Huge mansion type; they would spend the money on really good caterers and alcohol (top shelf booze, but would limit the number of drinks, since people had to drive home from there). Some people went, ate, drank their two drinks, and left, but it was always quick in and out; and not everyone came. The place was close to us, but far away from most others.

A few years ago, they switched to having it at Top Golf, which is closer to work. They rent out the party area, and one entire floor of bays, and have food and drinks from there. Almost everyone comes, and they tend to stay to closing.

Last year, it was a virtual party. They broke it up into sections (so engineers had a time, and drafters/designers had a different time, etc) and everyone got a basket of snacks and drinks at work to take home and have during the party. He can always take a plus one, but I've done my time doing his work parties, and I just stay home. He can have fun without worrying about me sitting in a corner, not talking to people.

 

[kdonnel]

Employees have the power at the moment.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they do agree to compensate him based on his request.

I know at my job they have tried unsuccessfully for the past 5 months to get people to return to the office 2 days a week. The local management knows they have lost control.

It is much cheaper for them to fulfill his request than to go through the hiring and training process with a replacement.

 

[bsmcneil]

You work with Bob Chapek?

 

[MamaMermaid]

OMG no. I physically cringed when I read this!

 

[Donald13]

He’s early 40s. He definitely has a need for things to be “fair” for him. If someone brought donuts to a staff meeting (pre-COVID), he would make a beeline to get one and make a comment about getting his before the vultures. He doesn’t hold us co-workers in high esteem, lol.

So he’s old enough to know better… I’m in my late-ish 40’s so I’ve been working for a minute and I’ve never ever done this. This guy has issues if he runs for the free stuff right away…. Pls tell us the outcome

 

[DisLiss]

No. Absolutely not. It's not something like a vacation day, that you earn, and therefore MAY be able to cash in, depending on your company's policies.

 

[_19disnA]

Unless that person was asked to work to cover the phones (or something similar) then asking for payment is just another self-entitled person. There are a few of those in our office who always think the rules apply to everyone else except them or spend more time trying to find ways to "game" the system to get out of doing their work instead of just doing their job. Most people know who those others are and just laugh when things like this happen.

When free things are available in the office, they are likely the first ones to take something but always have an excuse why they never bring anything for others to enjoy.