The weather is freezing and the economic forecasts are even chillier but at least you have a Royal wedding to look forward to next year.
The announcement of the Royal Bank Holiday on 29 April 2011 has been welcomed by many but it has also been reported that it is employers that will be left to pick up the cost, not the government or the Royal newly-weds.
The extra bank holiday will fall between Easter and May Day, creating two consecutive 4 day weekends and the Federation of Small Businesses has voiced concerns about the impact that this will have on SMEs.
Most are assuming that this will be an additional holiday but that is not necessarily correct for most employees.
There is no general statutory right to take such holidays and whether an employee can or cannot take them is a matter that is normally covered by the contract of employment.
Many contracts refer to the eight normal bank or public holidays as an additional entitlement to the usual holiday entitlement of four weeks.
If however the contract is silent or as in many small businesses there is nothing specific written at all, then the position is governed by The Working Time Regulations 1998 as amended.
These provide for a total entitlement of 5.6 weeks holiday per annum. This is equivalent to 28 days for someone who works five days per week. As a result, provided an employee requests the 29 April 2011 in the prescribed manner and the employer agrees this holiday then all is well and good but it will form part of the annual holiday entitlement and will not be an additional entitlement.
So check your own situation carefully before deciding what to do about the royal wedding bank holiday. It might not be you that is paying for it after all.
The announcement of the Royal Bank Holiday on 29 April 2011 has been welcomed by many but it has also been reported that it is employers that will be left to pick up the cost, not the government or the Royal newly-weds.
The extra bank holiday will fall between Easter and May Day, creating two consecutive 4 day weekends and the Federation of Small Businesses has voiced concerns about the impact that this will have on SMEs.
Most are assuming that this will be an additional holiday but that is not necessarily correct for most employees.
There is no general statutory right to take such holidays and whether an employee can or cannot take them is a matter that is normally covered by the contract of employment.
Many contracts refer to the eight normal bank or public holidays as an additional entitlement to the usual holiday entitlement of four weeks.
If however the contract is silent or as in many small businesses there is nothing specific written at all, then the position is governed by The Working Time Regulations 1998 as amended.
These provide for a total entitlement of 5.6 weeks holiday per annum. This is equivalent to 28 days for someone who works five days per week. As a result, provided an employee requests the 29 April 2011 in the prescribed manner and the employer agrees this holiday then all is well and good but it will form part of the annual holiday entitlement and will not be an additional entitlement.
So check your own situation carefully before deciding what to do about the royal wedding bank holiday. It might not be you that is paying for it after all.
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