Do Casino Employees Get Paid Extra for Holidays?

With Thanksgiving approaching there are more news stories about shops not opening on Thanksgiving day so employees can be home with their families on the holiday. The stories always seem to forget about all the other businesses that are open on Thanksgiving day like movie theaters, gas stations, and casinos. In fact, casinos are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week so they’re open on every holiday which leads to my question. Do hotel/casino employees get paid extra for working on Thanksgiving day, Christmas day, or other holidays? Is there less staff working on a holiday?

This question came in too close to Thanksgiving to be answered in time for that holiday (we're working a few weeks ahead these days), but since today is the biggest holiday of the year, we thought it no less an appropriate time to run it.

A reliable and experienced industry source explains, “Policies vary across the country, but in Las Vegas, it is not generally industry practice to pay time-and-a-half on holidays. (The one exception to this is whether an employee is covered under a collective bargaining agreement that specifically calls for holiday pay on pre-defined holidays. I can’t tell you off the top of my head which unions would have that language in place, but it is possible that some do.)

“However, as you and your reader noted, staffing is dependent upon business levels – so fewer employees are needed to work on certain holidays. For example, business volumes are usually pretty low on Christmas or Easter, so staffing needs would be below those we’d need on a regular day.

“On the flip side, there are holidays that are exceptionally busy periods, so it’s likely more people would need to work those holidays. The best example is New Year’s, when it is really all hands on deck.”

Raving Consulting President Deana Scott adds, “Holiday pay varies by organization. Since casino/hotels are typically 24/7 businesses, employee benefit packages are typically flexible so that [employees] are not penalized for working the holiday. Paid time off and holiday pay are very standard in the industry. Holidays are typically busy in the industry but again varies by market. Christmas morning is generally slow but the evening can be busy. Staffing is planned based on volume. New Year’s Eve is typically the busiest night, so almost all employees work that day.”

Culinary Union-repped employees in Las Vegas have a sweet deal. Says the Culinary’s Bethany Khan, “Culinary Union members get paid for the holiday even if they don't work and if they do work, they get paid double for that day.”

Do hotel/casino employees get paid extra for working on Thanksgiving day, Christmas day, or other holidays?

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Comments

Dave Dec-31-2019

Tips

many casino employees are working at jobs that get tips, their base salary is typically far below minimum wage. Therefore, time and a half doesn’t really affect the bottom line of that much.

And don’t forget to tip!

Kevin Lewis Dec-31-2019

Company town

In many states, it's the law to pay employees time and a half or even double on holidays. Regardless of the law, most employers will, as a measure of common decency, pay extra on holidays.

Nevada, however, being one giant company town, has no laws or common decency mandating higher pay on holidays. So casino employees are told, suck it up, buttercup, be grateful we're so generous as to provide you with a job.

JimBeam Dec-31-2019

Experience from Strip Properties

I did some work for a large casino company that dominates The Strip. I wasn't an employee but I did have an email address on their corporate system and would receive the company-wide alerts. A few days before NYE they sent out an "all hands on deck" message because they were woefully short on banquet workers for the night. The gist of the email was that they would take anyone that was available and pay you a cash bonus at the end of the night in addition to your regular pay (I believe the bonus was $300). They would literally take anyone, it didn't matter if you were in accounting, housekeeping, pool staff, they just needed the extra help. The instructions were to show up at a particular ballroom, wear a white shirt and black pants and they would find something for you to do.

JimBeam Dec-31-2019

Experience from Strip Properties Part II

I asked a few people about this and the rationale is that a lot of regular workers find working NYE inconvenient and will actually call out. The Strip is closed so a lot of bus routes are heavily diverted (and banquet workers often take the bus). Even if you decide to brave the traffic and closures, the employee parking lot is usually closed because valet will use it for overflow parking - so you're on your own to find parking. And that's not even counting all the nonsense you have to put with from the "extra festive" crowd for the night. So, it's a general PIA for workers to be on property that night so they just plain don't do it. 

I didn't take them up on the $300 offer and I don't know anyone else that did. It's possible that even that level may not be enough to attract the workers needed.

Ray Dec-31-2019

double time? No

Saying that the workers got a sweet deal is a bit deceptive. Most companies (whether or not it's a casino) have several "paid holidays". Usually this includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and a few other federal holidays. If you work, you also get paid for working, but it is still regular time for the day you work. In effect, you get one full days pay more than the people who don't work. Now, if the holiday is your normal day off and you would get time and a half for working the extra day, that also is the same as if you worked an extra day on a non-holiday, not "double time and a half" like I've heard some people call it.  (truly though, SOME companies DO automatically pay 1 1/2 even if it IS a regular work day)

O2bnVegas Dec-31-2019

sweet deal didn't matter

I was a manager.  My employees didn't care that much about holiday pay (double pay); they'd rather have the day off.

Jan-01-2020

New Year's Eve

Why in the world would New Year's Eve be busy in Las Vegas?


(OK, that was a joke, for levity's sake.)

Seriously, you could not PAY me to be in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve. I don't like being in crowds to begin with, especially loud ones, and I really would not enjoy being squeezed like a sardine in can. And that scenario, with bodies constantly bumping into you, is just super-ripe for pickpockets. Plus, I don't like being around people who are drunk or just not practicing any self-control. I love going to Las Vegas, but NYE is my absolute last choice for a date I would want to be there. Finally, what's the big deal about a new year? We don't celebrate a new month or a new decade. A new year usually does not have any positive effect on your life for the future. I think that people are just looking for a reason to validate excessive alcohol consumption and irresponsible behavior.

Question of the Day - 31 December 2019

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