[UK] Is this a fair amount of annual leave?

[Elliot B.]

I work full time (37.5 hour per week) and started in the first week of April, so my A/L runs from April to April.

 

They told me I get 27 days A/L (I thought legally it was 28 days but anyway).

 

They've also told me any bank holiday and any time the business is closed must be included.

 

There are 8 bank holidays between April 2014 and April 2015. This leaves me with 19 days A/L.

 

Then, we break up for Christmas on Friday 22nd December and come back on Monday 5th January. There are 7 closed business days (not including bank holidays, they were included in the 8 days above) during that period, so that leaves me with 12 days A/L.

 

Is 12 days A/L that I get to use personally normal, or is the company I work for being a bit unfair?

[Top Qat]

That's terrible. In my experience A/L is on top of bank holidays.

[WildWayz]

I don't think there is a legal requirement for A/L - just guidelines. If a company chooses to close over Xmas, then that covers your leave.

 

For instance, I worked at a company that gave me 20 days leave + bank holidays, but over Xmas, it was closed from the 24th December until 3rd January, so we had to use that time as part of the 20 days leave.

 

My current employer gives us 20 days + bank holidays then after 5 years, it is 25 days + bank holidays.

[Elliot B.]

That's terrible. In my experience A/L is on top of bank holidays.

DirectGov states:

 

"Almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks? paid holiday per year (known as statutory leave entitlement or annual leave). An employer can include bank holidays as part of statutory annual leave."

[Tomo]

https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/entitlement

 

Legal minimum is 28 days assuming you work 5 days a week (5*5.6) which can include the 8 bank holidays so that leaves 20 days left. You should present them with this and demand your extra day.

 

Disputes

Paid annual leave is a legal right that an employer must provide. If a worker thinks their right to leave and pay are not being met there are a number of ways to resolve the dispute.

[WildWayz]

Think that answers it then :)

What line of work are you in? At least you aren't in America where you don't get paid leave... when I was going to work for a USA company (but working remotely in the UK), they were shocked when I said it would be "20 days leave + bank holidays".

[Elliot B.]

Think that answers it then :)

What line of work are you in? At least you aren't in America where you don't get paid leave... when I was going to work for a USA company (but working remotely in the UK), they were shocked when I said it would be "20 days leave + bank holidays".

Just in an office for a company with 15-20 staff.

[jerzdawg]

At least you aren't in America where you don't get paid leave... when I was going to work for a USA company (but working remotely in the UK), they were shocked when I said it would be "20 days leave + bank holidays".

That depends on the company you work for.  I work for a fortune 500 company and when I started here with 0 experience I was given 18 paid days off (plus any Federal holidays that the company closed for, which was usually 6-8 days per year).  After working for the company I now get 25 days and will earn an extra day each year I stay.  

 

But yes, there are plenty of companies that do not (or cannot afford) to pay for employees to take a vacation.

[+John Teacake MVC]

Nothing legally with regards to 28, I have seen jobs with advertised as 25. I get much more than that but I am not gloating  :shiftyninja:

[Anibal P]

That depends on the company you work for.  I work for a fortune 500 company and when I started here with 0 experience I was given 18 paid days off (plus any Federal holidays that the company closed for, which was usually 6-8 days per year).  After working for the company I now get 25 days and will earn an extra day each year I stay.  

 

But yes, there are plenty of companies that do not (or cannot afford) to pay for employees to take a vacation.

 

Was gonna say, never worked at a place that didn't give vacation + holidays, current employer, another fortune 500 company gave me 27 to start with another week after 5, +legal holidays, all paid, I'm in the middle of my second full week off and I started officially as a full timer in November, which is pretty darn good, only place with better so far was the Army and 30 days off + holidays and training holidays 

[Tomo]

Just to add

 

When leave can and can?t be taken

Employers can:

• tell their staff to take leave, eg bank holidays or Christmas
• restrict when leave can be taken, eg at certain busy periods

There may be rules about this in the employment contract or it may be what normally happens in the workplace. The notice period for this is at least twice as long as the leave they want their staff to take.

Nothing legally with regards to 28, I have seen jobs with advertised as 25. I get much more than that but I am not gloating  :shiftyninja:

Well apart from this sentence on the Government website

 

Almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks? paid holiday per year (known as statutory leave entitlement or annual leave).

 

and this

 

Most workers who work a 5-day week must receive 28 days? paid annual leave per year. This is calculated by multiplying a normal week (5 days) by the annual entitlement of 5.6 weeks.

[Elliot B.]

Nothing legally with regards to 28, I have seen jobs with advertised as 25. <snip>

Yeah, as Tomo said above, that's not correct.

[mps69]

when you put in black and white, 12 personal days doesn't seem that much, however over all that's just about 2 and half weeks you could take at any one time, tag that with a bank holiday and it gets extended even more.

 

I have to say the amount you have been given isn't great, but if you want a job and earn money you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Do they give you the chance to buy extra days, via overtime, or even long term employees get more added every few years.?

 

I'm very lucky I get 35 days annual leave, plus 3 statutory holidays at Christmas/New Year. It's one of the nice perks for working for the same company for 22 years.

[Skiver Veteran]

when I started at the company I work for I was given 23 days in which 3 days over Christmas had to come out of my allowence. After various things it's now 25 but the 3 days of Christmas still get deducted.

 

The bank holiday side of things seems a bit sketchy but I honestly don't know the tue answer, have you maybe thought of contacting someone like Citizens Advice Bureau? They might be able to give you some guidance on entitlement.

[Anibal P]

when you put in black and white, 12 personal days doesn't seem that much, however over all that's just about 2 and half weeks you could take at any one time, tag that with a bank holiday and it gets extended even more.

 

I have to say the amount you have been given isn't great, but if you want a job and earn money you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Do they give you the chance to buy extra days, via overtime, or even long term employees get more added every few years.?

 

I'm very lucky I get 35 days annual leave, plus 3 statutory holidays at Christmas/New Year. It's one of the nice perks for working for the same company for 22 years.

 

For contrast, most jobs here in the US do give 2 weeks vacation plus Holidays, anything in manufacturing and you have to use some of that time for the Christmas "break" so it's fairly close, relatively speaking, also manufacturing gets less official holidays off than most other jobs

[Stealthy_Singh]

Doesn't sound fair but it's legal. The 28 days is a legal requirement but it can be pro rata if you are part time. The employer can choose to give you more if they wish. As for bank holidays they can say they are included or they are on top. As for the xmas close period well take a look at this:

https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/booking-time-off-

 

I am self employed so the above doesn't apply to me. But the nurses I work with are quite lucky. They get 28 days plus the bank holidays on top. If the practice is shut for some reason it's not taken off from their allowance. But perks like that are down to how good your employer is.

[Elliot B.]

My contract states:

 

"In addition to your holiday entitlement you may take and be paid for the bank/public holidays each year."

 

Does that mean I have to use my A/L for them or not?

 

I am confused :/

[Brian M. Veteran]

In the UK, bank holidays are normally in addition to your holiday entitlement, but the company can choose whether this is the case. The line of your contract you posted confirms that bank holidays are in addition to your holiday entitlement.

 

Most places will ask you to use a week or so of your holiday over Christmas - that's pretty normal. So your personal usable allowance should be 27 - 7 (Christmas) = 20 days. Or 4 weeks, which is pretty normal.

[MikeChipshop Member]

That's terrible. In my experience A/L is on top of bank holidays.

 

Nope. bank holidays come out of your allowance if the business is closed.

 

Elliot, your A/L is spot on.

[mulligan2k]

if you work a set amount of hours a week there might be an option to work overtime on the other days in the bank holiday weeks and not have that particular bank hol deducted from your allowance. but that would be something to speak to your supervisor about.

 

enjoy the long weekends I say, being a chef I end up working every bank hol, plus all the big days over christmas!

[lt8480]

Your employer can legally deduct bank holidays and closed periods from your annual leave entitlement which is 28 days minimum.

 

Therefore once you remove the bank holidays(8) and your closed periods (7) you still should be given 13 days of your chosing.

 

Of course some companies might give you more but it might be reflected in lower pay.

 

Like the .gov website states there are some exclusions and special circumstances as to how this works in certain jobs (NHS, Military, etc.) but if it's an office, shop or factory its almost certainly the above situation.

 

On a side note (contrary to many opinions of the general public) most people aren't entitled to have the bank holidays off... rather its just s pattern of society, and your employer can if they wish ask you to work those days and give you days off elsewhere in the year.

[satysin]

Legally you are entitled to 28 days per year. We have 8 bank holidays a year which can be combined with holiday which means you should get 20 days paid holiday per year. It isor

Just ask your employer. Unless they are ###### they won't have a problem explaining it.

 

Edit: Also you mention the business is closed for 7 days over Christmas. That means those 7 days are basically automatically booked holidays which means you should have a total of 13 days per year which you are free to book off (within reason) anytime you want.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

28 days off is the minimum legal requirement, which includes bank holidays, so you should be getting 28 days. Been forced to use 7 days at Christmas though sucks, its legal but a bit crappy of the company.

[Elliot B.]

Nope. bank holidays come out of your allowance if the business is closed.

 

Elliot, your A/L is spot on.

As I said above your post, my contract states:

 

"In addition to your holiday entitlement you may take and be paid for the bank/public holidays each year."

 

So doesn't that mean bank holidays don't come out of my A/L?

[MikeChipshop Member]

As I said above your post, my contract states:

 

"In addition to your holiday entitlement you may take and be paid for the bank/public holidays each year."

 

So doesn't that mean bank holidays don't come out of my A/L?

 

No. As far as my understanding is (and apologies if wrong) that says you will have bank holidays and you will be paid for them (because they come out of your annual leave).

I think they need to work on their wording because the 'In addition' section is quite confusing.