Annual Leave and Public Holidays Policy

This policy is included in the Employee Handbook.

All UK employers are legally required to comply with the Working Time Regulations. As well as providing all workers with statutory paid annual leave.

Employers should also explain to employees their annual holiday entitlement and any conditions, such as how it should be requested.

This document defines the company's policy in relation to annual, public and bank holiday leave and procedures that should be followed.

Topics covered within this policy and procedures include:

Leave allowances and entitlements:

Annual leave and statutory paid leave entitlements.
Statutory and public holidays.
Calculating leave entitlements and dealing with partial days.
Part-year leave entitlements for joiners and leavers.
In lieu payments.

Requests, authorisation and declines:

Approving leave, absence and time-off work.
Unauthorised absence and taking previously unapproved leave.
Outstanding and untaken holiday entitlements at the end of an annual leave year.
Carrying over unused days to the next annual leave year.

Leave restrictions:

Maximum number of staff allowed off work at the same time.
How conflicting leave requests will be resolved.
Annual leave restrictions.
Annual shut-down periods (e.g. leave to be taken at certain times of the year such as christmas breaks)
Request for leave during religious festivals.

Annual leave entitlements during:

Maternity, paternity or adoption leave.
Parenal leave.
Periods of sick leave.

Legal Update:
Statutory Minimum Paid Leave - increased to 28 days on 1 April 2009 (this policy complies with legislative entitlements).
Annual leave during periods of sick leave - recent case law means employees on sick leave can claim annual leave (this policy explains: the new employee right; leave reclaims; carrying over days into a new annual leave year; supporting documentation; and leave payments).

(To read more about our Employee Handbook click here)