01/08/11….Are you getting the paid holiday your are entitled to?

THIS season piece of useful advice on paid holiday entitlement comes from Thame’s local branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

If you are working full time, you are entitled to at least 28 days’ paid holiday a year (5.6 weeks) including public holidays. This is a legal right.

Your contract of employment may give you the right to take more than the statutory amount of paid holiday, but it cannot give you less. To help you work out your exact entitlement, you can use the calculator on the Business Link website at: www.businesslink.gov.uk

You don?t have an automatic right to take bank or public holidays off work, with or without pay, but your employment contract may give you bank or public holidays off on top of your statutory holiday. If this is the case, your contract should specify this and also say whether you will be paid for these days.

If your employer refuses to let you take holiday, or refuses to let you take holiday at a particular time, try to sort it out informally with them first. If this doesn’t work, get advice as soon as possible from your trade union if you belong to one, or from an experienced CAB adviser. You may be able to take your case to an employment tribunal, but there are pros and cons to think about if you are considering this course of action.
CAB adviceline 08 444 111 444 or 0300 3300 650

IMAGE courtesy of workingrights.co.uk