Jehovah Witness People!!?

yeah kinda but i mean i guess they want the money it's like somebody shoving 200 dollars in your pocket and you're not suppose to not take it

During the Christmas season, a Christian’s employer may offer a present or a bonus. Should the Christian reject such? Not necessarily. The employer may not even be thinking that by accepting the bonus the receiver is celebrating Christmas. The employer may simply be giving all his workers a share of the company’s profits. Or the bonus may be evidence of his gratitude for services rendered all year long as well as a stimulus to continued good work. The employer may give a gift to all employees—Jews, Muslims, or others—regardless of whether they celebrate Christmas or not. So the mere timing of the gift or the name that may be associated with it does not necessarily rule out its acceptance by one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Even if the gift is given because of a religious holiday, that does not mean that the recipient is thought to share the religious view. A fellow worker or a relative may tell a Witness, “I know that you do not celebrate this holiday, but I still want you to have this as a gift from me.” If the Christian’s conscience would be at rest, he might choose to accept the gift and express thanks without any reference to the holiday. (Acts 23:1) Perhaps at a time when there will be less likelihood of causing offense, the Christian can tactfully explain his stand.

However, what if the one offering the gift has the clear intention of showing that the Christian is not firm in his beliefs or will compromise for material gain? Then it is definitely best to decline. To be sure, we want to render Jehovah God exclusive devotion.—Matthew 4:8-10.

Holiday pay is part of an employment contract. In order to be fair to all employees, employers would have to give Jehovah's Witnesses the same number of paid days off that they give to everyone else.

In some professions, that means that JW's are working on the holidays, allowing other employees to take those days off. Other businesses close completely on those days, so it would be a hardship for the employer if the employee said they wanted to work anyway in order not to be thought of by some individuals as ones celebrating the holiday. It would mean that the employer would need to allow JW's to take off another day in order to be in compliance with human resource standards.

The "birthday fully paid if you take it within 30 days of your birthday" is an employee benefit just like the holiday benefit. We work the same number of hours as others, are diligent and honest in our work, and employers provide benefits such as that to give employees relief so they can continue to be productive. What would be wrong is if a witness used such a day to actually celebrate their birthday. Otherwise it is simply a secular arrangement, and again to force an employer to respect our beliefs by calling such a secular benefit something more neutral or allow the same amount of time to be taken at a time when others couldn't call our motives into question would be frustrating for employers and unnecessary.

What you are suggesting seems akin to your trying to mail a package or contact a bank representative on Columbus Day. Do you celebrate Columbus Day? No? Well then why not conduct your own business as normal on that day? The reason is that no one else is, and you will be wasting your efforts. It is better to just accept the fact that those places are closed on those days and plan something better to do with your time. The same goes for paid time off that an employer provides. It's part of an established system, and you can try to buck the system all you want but will not accomplish much. Our God knows our motives, and how we use our time.

That is a conscience decision. I did not accept a bonus at the company i work for because it was a christmas bonus. It all depends on what and why they are giving the money. For me, i did not want to take the christmas bonus, but other companies just call it an end of year bonus, that kind of stuff. I have not worked for a company that pays holidays. I work construction. Very rare to have paid time off.

And this of course is just my opinion, and in no way should reflect on how all JW's think feel, or act.

I assume Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and atheists get paid for Christmas Holidays.

I know this. If your employer said everybody was to work at Christmas JWs would be the only ones not crying into their eggnog

The bonus pay that is given in December is usually an end-of-year bonus that is related to the work that has been done throughout the entire year. so, we are entitled to the pay because of our yearly work.

We cannot work on christmas day if our workplace is not open, therefore there is nothing we can do about that. In fact, over that period many of us volunteer to do extra work because the holiday is irrelevant to us.

Maybe you'd have us work for nothing?

If we can get paid to not work and use that day for something else like the door to door ministry, why not? There is nothing pagan about your boss wanting to give you free money. Generally these bonuses are simply implying that they appreciate all the hard work you've done that year. If you work with a bunch of JW's like you say, then just ask one. We don't take offense to this, nor do we mind telling you why.

Well, my place of employment is union, I highly doubt trying to talk the union out of making my employer pay/not pay me for those days will really do anything.

Besides, I think if I went to HR and told them I cannot be paid for those days...they will still be laughing right now...and I would still be getting paid for them anyway.

Steve

As someone already said here, this should be a conscience decision.

I would only agree that someone should not take the money if they have the choice of working that day. If the company is closed, it seems to me you should take the money, as you would be willing to work, but forced to stay home

If you choose not to work, you are doing so because you are observing that holiday, and hence should not take the money

Regardless, holidays are in itself a conscience decision altogether. The bible is not specific enough on that

Take advantage of work policy's and procedures and Human resource policies Your job enforces it anyway. What about a white boy getting martin Luther's Birthday off???