Kelly day

n. a day off or vacation day taken at a scheduled interval in addition to normal time off or vacation. Also Kelly shift. Subjects: English, Employment, Firefighting, Police

Etymological Note: It has been claimed as early as 1953 that this term comes from Edward Joseph Kelly, mayor of Chicago from 1933 to 1947. He is said to have put in place a similar plan for firefighters in 1936. An article on the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois web site includes a footnote for an article that may include more information about the origin of the term: “Action of City Council in Chicago Secures New Working Schedule for Fire Fighters,” International Fire Fighter, Washington, D.C., Vol. XIX, No. 6, June 1936, pp. 5-6.

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Citations: 1945 Cedar Rapids Tribune (Iowa) (Aug. 23) “Firemen Will Ask Council for Kelly Days” p. 1: The proposal that fire fighters be given every 16th day off was made to the city council.…The request for Kelly days, for which Cedar Rapids fire fights ask only 22 a year instead of the 24 or more enjoyed by other departments, was not specifically denied.…Iowa cities which now provide Kelly days for their fire departments are: Sioux City, 3 days a month; Des Moines, 2 days; Davenport, 2 days; Mason City, 1 day; Burlington, 4 days; Ottumwa, 1 day; Council Bluffs, 1 day; Waterloo, 1 day; Keokuk, 1 day. 1957 Winona Daily News (Minnesota) (May 23) “Board Planning Fire Station Warning Lights” p. 3: The delegation…explained that firemen work one day and have the next day off with every 10th day designated as a “Kelly” day or day off. This schedule is followed except during the vacation period when the Kelly days are granted every 12th day. 1985 Lindy Washburn @ Passaic-Morris The Record (New Jersey) (March 13) “Clifton Asking N.J. To Allow Delay On Budget” p. C03: Elimination of “Kelly days” for police officers. These are extra days off when the officers change shifts. Two years ago, Kelly days were eliminated for senior officers on desk jobs who were not changing shifts. 1987 Charlotte Sutton @ Brooksville St. Petersburg Times (Florida) (Aug. 28) “Firefighters’ union, county begin talks on district contract” p. 1: Kelly days: This term refers to one shift off with pay every 14th shift for all employees who work 24-hour shifts. Northwest firefighters work a 24-hour shift, followed by 48 hours off. 2001 csy113 Firehouse Forums (July 2) “Kelly Day”: My department uses the phrase kelly time. FLSA allows firefighters to work up to 204 hours within a 28 day period without requiring the employer to pay overtime. Anything over 204 must be paid at time and one half. All firemen at my station are assigned to a 24 hour shift and must work 216 hours within a 28 day period. We are required to take 12 hours of kelly time off within that 28 days to avoid overtime. 2003 Darla McFarland Examiner (Blue Springs, Missouri) (July 17) “City, firefighter talks are off”: The city has proposed new procedures to allow firefighters to voluntarily work on “Kelly Days” or scheduled days off that firefighters take each pay period to keep from exceeding federal labor laws on overtime. Those working on a Kelly Day, however, would still be counted as off for scheduling purposes. 2007 James V. Franco The Record (Troy, New York) (July 31) “Firefighters OK contract with city”: Also, anyone paying 15 percent of their health insurance will get an additional “Kelly Day,” the term for an extra day off a firefighter has the option to take or work for time and a half. 2007 Ed Kemmick Billings Gazette (Montana) (Aug. 27) “Lawsuit leads to long, complicated legal battle”: Under what is known as the “Kelly shift,” adopted by the Fire Department in 1969, firefighters worked a 27-day rotation consisting of one 24-hour shift, followed by 48 hours off. After repeating that cycle seven times, they got six days off in row.

Posted 31 Jul 07 | Permalink | Tell a Friend