For context this is my first, and probably last, contract role.
I've been working for a contractor for about 3 months now. They haven't been that great at anything but they “helped” me get this job so I am thankful. Today I was told that next Monday, the company will be closed for the holiday. I asked my boss if there was anyway I could work that day since taking a day with no pay would be detrimental to my family's finances (I'm the only income earner). My boss said to reach out to my recruiter but I wouldn't be able to work, even remote. I texted my recruiter to confirm that even if I'm being forced to take a day off that I would still not be paid. The recruiter texted back this whole paragraph on how he has gone over the contract with me multiple times (not true. We went over it once and I had a lot of questions that he still hasnt answered or he brushed them off saying I should already know), I shouldn't need to ask questions, and I “shouldn't be shocked” that I wouldn't get paid. Nowhere in my contract did it say that forced days off didn't include pay but whatever (my contract states only days I take off voluntarily don't get paid but I guess I'm too stupid and shocked according to the recruiter to know this). I responded that I did not like the tone of his message and I was just asking for confirmation since that wasn't specifically in the contract. He then responded by saying he wasn't being condescending and I should be well aware of their policy by now (I'm 3 months in, this is the first holiday the company is taking off since I started, and I have not taken any days off). I don't want to associate with this recruiter any further if me asking any questions results in that type of response. The funny thing is, I wouldn't be so upset if he just responded with “that's correct”.
Needless to say, I'm going to start putting resumes back out there because being forced to take days without pay when I'm offering to work and even offering to put in OT to make up the difference gets denied. I'm just trying to survive here.
Thanks for reading my vent. I hope your day is going well and you get paid holidays!
ETA: This recruiter also “forgot” to tell me there is a mandatory uniform at this job and my contract states I need to be in office 1-3 days a week but my boss says it's a mandatory 2. When I brought this up that my contract and the job aren't aligning I was told I was being too nitpicky about the contract and 2 days falls within that 1-3 days and I shouldn't complain. Then I asked if I went in office 1 day a week, as specified on my contract, if that was an issue and the recruiter said yes.