Have yourself a merry bigger paycheck

Holiday paychecks can be a little more festive if you file for all the extra pay that's coming to you. If you're working over the holidays, here's what you're entitled to under the Guild contract:

If you work on the actual holiday (Dec. 25 or Jan. 1 in this case): You get overtime for your full shift (fill out a yellow overtime card), plus holiday differential ($7 for Christmas, rising to $8 on New Year's Day; file electronically). If a holiday falls on a weekday and you work a night shift, the night differential would be paid at the overtime rate ($1.13 an hour, or $9.04 for an 8-hour shift on Christmas, rising to $1.20 an hour, or $9.60 for an 8-hour shift on New Year's Day; file electronically). If you're eligible for production differential, that's paid at the overtime rate, too (98 cents an hour, or $7.84 for an 8-hour shift on Christmas, rising to $1.05 an hour, or $8.40 for an 8-hour shift on New Year's Day; file electronically).

If you work a night shift on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve: You get overtime for your full shift. Since they're both on weeknights this year, you get night differential at the overtime rate. And if you're eligible for production differential, that also would be paid at the overtime rate.

If you work five days in a holiday week (in this case, the week of Dec. 23 or the week of Dec. 30), but not the holiday itself: You get overtime for your full shift on the fifth day. Any night, weekend and/or production differentials for that shift also are paid at the overtime rate.

All of the above provisions apply to both full-timers and part-timers. The only difference is that full-timers get paid holidays off, so any full-timer who works on the holiday automatically gets 8 hours of straight-time pay on their paycheck in addition to the extra money described above.

Questions? See your Guild steward or steward leader. And happy holidays from Local 51.