Annual leave

We’re probably all familiar with The Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833) with regard to staff working more than an average of 48 hours per week and the controversial matter of whether opt out provisions should be allowed. We may not be so aware that these Regulations and the various associated legislation also concerns young people, night workers, expectant mothers, road transport drivers as well as statutory annual leave.

The right to paid holiday has been four weeks per year but, as public holidays could be included in the figure by employers, employees who worked a five day week had only 12 days of annual leave left.

The Government have taken steps to ensure that workers will be able to havea minimum of four weeks plus public holidays via the Work and Families Act 2006 and the Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (SI2007/2079). The Amendment Regulations increase the total general holiday entitlement rather than specifically referring to public holidays. They bring in an additional 1.6 weeks annual leave which, for a person working a five-day week, is eight days. This is being implemented in two stages – 0.8 (4) days from 1st October 2007, giving 24 days, and 0.8 (4) days from 1st April 2009 giving the full 28 days.

As organisations’ holiday years start at different times of the year, a holiday entitlement ready reckoner is available on the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform website which shows entitlement against leave year start date.

The average number of public holidays within EU countries is 11.35 – Slovakia wins with 18 and the UK comes bottom of the list with 8. The TUC launched a search for a new Bank Holiday back in 2004 with a vote to find the most popular day and the T&G Union presented a 10,000 strong petition for an “International Women’s Day” in 2005, but we haven’t seen any addition yet. Let’s continue to hope!