Job Discussion Forums

linn78 · Joined: 03 Sep 2014 Posts: 7

Alright everybody, I've been teaching for 3 years and 3 different places and every school has one thing in common, everybody contributes to a gift for the birthday of other workers.

This is never mandatory, but everybody knows you must do it or you are a jerk. I think its a great thing, as everybody receives something back on their birthday. You spend allot of money collectively, but everybody gets a return on their contributions when their birthday comes around. that is, in exception to those with summer birthdays.

the schools I've worked at are mostly operational during the normal school year, so my birthday is always skipped. I've spent a few hundred dollars on contributions but have never seen any kind of return since my birthday is in July.

I think summer birthdays should either be fully morally exempt from contributions, or have a a guarantee return date during the school year.

Can I get some support on this from my fellow summer birthday teachers? lets start a movement to make sure we are all fairly compensated.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I think this is situational. I've never worked anywhere where colleague's birthdays are an occasion for a gift. In the Netherlands, the person whose birthday it is might bring some pie or other treats for his/her colleagues, but no presents in either direction. Ditto Canada, Germany, Czech Republic.

If you actually want to make some change, I think it's up to you in your own workplace....

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

The celebration of birthdays is forbidden, The righteous and the godly should not participate. At least I was told that by religious colleagues in the Middle East. I believe that JWs have the same view.

MotherF · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 2:31 pm Post subject:

I think it's nice especially if we are talking about a staff made up of people far from home--but I would suggest you follow US primary school's lead and celebrate the half birthday of those whose birthdays fall in the summer months. However, late July birthdays may still be a problem if you also have vacation the last week of the year.

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

I hate work birthdays. Confused

You could do an un-birthday date like the elementary schools do.

ETA: I see MotherF beat me to it!

yurii · Joined: 12 Jan 2017 Posts: 106

cmp45 · Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 1475 Location: KSA

You could tell a white lie and say your birthday is in another month during school year, problem solved. No one is the wiser. I mean does it really matter what the date? Just make it up.