[MichaelfromSpace]

You Yanks sure put us Brits to shame with your work ethic. Today, Friday 2 January, most people are still lazing at home since before Christmas. I think it's disgusting, I believe there should be posse's formed to round up the lazy workers and herd them back to work with electric cattle prods. Once there they should be chained to their desks or machines and not allowed to leave until they've made up for the lost hours/days! There's a recessiojn on for heavens sake and jobs are being cut by the thousands, haven't these people got any sense?

Friday, Jan 02 2009
Pictured: Britain's deserted roads as thousands skip work on stay-at-home Friday

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:06 PM on 02nd January 2009

A record number of workers were expected to skip work today in a 'stay at home Friday' after the New Year break.

Business chiefs fear the impromptu national holiday, sparked because the return to work has fallen at the end of the week, could cost the economy £250million.

Tens of thousands of workers will choose to stay away until Monday to keep the holiday going.

This picture of an empty Euston Station was taken today at 9am. On a normal rush hour day the North London railway terminal is heaving with commuters


Again taken today, this is the A12 at Hackney Marshes leading into Central London and the Blackwall Tunnel which is normally bumper to bumper with traffic

The Federation of Small Businesses estimates half a million small UK businesses will have stopped operating completely until January 5.

Freezing temperatures and the dire economic outlook are thought to have made the problem worse.

Spokesman Stephen Alambritis said: 'In normal years, many firms offer their staff a long break over Christmas to reward or rejuvenate them. This year many have done it simply to save cash.

'But for those that do want to open for business on January 2, many are going to be hit by "no-show Friday".

'It's bleak and freezing, and after the celebrations for New Year's Eve run into New Year's Day, we believe there will be record absences from work.'
He added: 'Struggling businesses can only hope their staff really are geared up to go back to work on Monday, which will be the real start of the year for many.'

He also believes that people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland might be resentful because today is a Bank Holiday in Scotland.

'There is that resentment, plus the fact that it is a Friday, it is close to the weekend,' he said.

At rush-hour the main commuter road from Liverpool to Manchester, the M602, lies empty

'People might think that because there is a recession there is not much to do anyway, with orders down.

'Customer service will be down, it will put employers in a bad light if they don't take it up and it will kick off the year in a bad way.'

Cities have already been quiet for days longer than usual after people seemed to go home for Christmas the weekend before despite Christmas falling on a Thursday.

Transport links and roads were quieter over the break as commuters stopped work for two weeks to make the most of the festive season.
Unauthorised absences cost the UK economy around £13billion every year, according to the Federation.

In recent years, there has been an increasing acceptance by employers of so-called 'duvet days' when staff can ring in sick when they want to stay in bed.

[Flankrene]

That's nothing. In Italy it is holiday this year until the 7th.

And it's wonderful.

[n2Oddw8P]

I would have replied sooner, but I was off on Friday......