What's the deal with holidays and COVID? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm not sure if this is just a COVID thing or if it's just always been the case, but it seems like lately everyone I work with has just been ignoring the fact that it's a holiday for random stuff that is not urgent and could wait a day.

I noticed this year it happened with labor day, columbus day and today (election day). All of these were officially firm holidays where all of our US offices were "closed" (whatever that even means now), though I acknowledge they are not the most celebrated of holidays (with the exception of labor day), so that could be a factor.

Am I just being soft or misremembering how holidays have always been treated by law firms, or is this one of the other side effects of COVID and so we should just expect all Monday holidays for the foreseeable future to be ignored?

[Anonymous User]

At my firm, Monday holidays have never really been "holidays" but just WFH days. So with everyone WFH due to COVID, it makes sense that those holidays seem overlooked.

[bwh8813]

My firm technically closed today for Election Day and encouraged us to do election related pro bono. However, it's not like they communicated that to our clients, most of whom aren't closed, so are we really closed? Not for attorneys.

[Anonymous User]

My firm only respects holidays for staff. I’ve regularly had to work on holidays. I remember working through Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, and July 4th during the past 12 months.

It’s one of the gripes I have about working at my firm.

[Anonymous User]

I was unaware that any firm cares about holidays. Mine certainly does not, both before COVID and now.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a bit shocked that people are showing up to vote at all, every person that I know (including lawyers and legal staff) already voted. But yeah, those places are crowed A.F. if you drive past them.

Courts are all open and working right now. I was in court in person at one earlier today, and remote hearing in another a few hours later. It varies wildly by the courts how to handle the virus. Some even openly mock wearing a facial covering. Others act like it's the actual end of days. It's madness all around, just different flavors of said madness.

I am licensed in multiple states but am referring primarily to Michigan.

[Anonymous User]

I work for the federal government and even we don’t get Election Day off. (We get Columbus Day and the other random boring ones, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t work for government who actually gets those off these days.)

[Anonymous User]

I work for the federal government and even we don’t get Election Day off. (We get Columbus Day and the other random boring ones, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t work for government who actually gets those off these days.)

In my state local courts are open Columbus day but I've seen pro se defendants skip trying to use ignorance as an excuse on that one. Hint for those who don't know, if you were served a court date then odds are that the court is open that day.

[whats an updog]

At my firm, Monday holidays have never really been "holidays" but just WFH days. So with everyone WFH due to COVID, it makes sense that those holidays seem overlooked.

that sucks