Working on holidays is one of those annoying inevitables of most people’s lives. You have to get up and go on a day when everybody else is getting to relax. You miss out on family gatherings, on important rituals, and it’s just another day. I’ve worked a few holidays in my time, and it can be pretty soul-sucking. One Fourth of July, I worked at a restaurant and it was one of our busiest days of the summer. But seeing the glimmer of festivity in my customers’ eyes as I was stuck behind a register chipped away at my inner peace.

But the upside to that emotional suffering is usually a little financial reward. Employers realize the burden you’re taking on and usually give you some extra dough to make it go down easier. That’s why this hotel worker’s recent story was such a galvanizing slight. Get the details below.