Holiday entitlements
You don't have to be a wage slave all year round.
How much holiday should I get?
Most full-time workers have a statutory right to 24 days' paid annual leave, and from 1 April, 2009 this increases to 28 days. There are a few workers who are not automatically given these rights.
But I'm not a full-time employee
There are some exceptions to the statutory holiday rights:
- If you work part-time or for an agency, you have the same entitlement, with leave calculated on a pro-rata basis;
- The maximum amount of leave is up to the employer and should be set out in a your contract of employment;
- Members of the armed forces, police, or civil protection services don't have statutory entitlement to paid leave. They must rely on their contracts to specify their entitlement;
- Self-employed people also have no statutory right to paid annual leave.
When can I take my holiday?
In practice, the timing of most leave-taking is down to negotiation between you and your employer. However, while you are entitled to take holiday whenever you like if they give sufficient notice (twice the length of time as the holiday) employers can refuse the request.
If you have a dispute with your employer, speak to your HR Department at work or your trade union if you belong to one, or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).
Can I carry holiday over to the next year?
If you can't use up all of your statutory holiday in one leave year, you can't carry it over to the next leave year. The law does not let your employer pay you for holiday you have lost because you haven't been able to take those days off.
If you get additional leave, your employer might allow you to carry it over or get paid for any you haven't taken.
I've just spent half of my holiday in bed ill
Unfortunately if you get sick during your holiday you aren't automatically entitled to claim back the days. It's probably worth asking your employer, though - especially if you have a medical certificate to prove your case.
If you are off sick, you will usually be entitled to build up paid holiday from work. But if you are on long-term sick leave you normally can't claim holidays during that period.
I'm having a baby
During paternity leave and 26-week maternity leave, annual leave builds up as if you were still at work. The rules can get complicated, so speak to your employer, union or local CAB for more information.
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