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Annual Leave – Be Ready for New Rules
 If
employees in your business receive less than
28 days holiday then you need to be aware of
changes that are coming into force soon.
Six million workers in Britain will soon be
entitled to up to eight extra days annual
holiday with the first four coming in
October this year. The extra holidays will
benefit up to 3.5million women and
2.5million men.
The Government has published new regulations
to boost the minimum holiday entitlement
from 20 days a year to 24 days in October
2007, and to 28 days from April 2009.
Jim Fitzpatrick, DTI Employment Relations
Minister said: "This extra time off will
make a real difference in the lives of
hard-working people - a proper rest from
work and more time to spend with their
families and friends.
"Businesses will benefit too - from reduced
absenteeism and a workforce who are more
motivated and productive.
"We have listened to all parties responding
in the latest consultation, and we have
agreed a number of changes in the way the
new holidays will be brought in."
This means:
* To encourage early implementation and
simplify arrangements for good employers who
decide to offer their workers the
entitlement faster, the regulations state
that those companies who offer their workers
28 days leave or more by 1 October 2007 and
meet certain other related standards will
not be bound by the new legislation, so long
as they continue to meet these standards.
* As a transitional measure, companies will
be allowed to continue to buy out the
additional leave entitlement (the four extra
days) introduced from October 2007 until 1st
April 2009.
* After 1st April 2009 the buyout of any of
the additional leave entitlement will cease.
* All part-time workers will be entitled to
the extra holidays pro-rata.
* The DTI will set up an online calculator
to make it simpler for everybody to work out
their new holiday entitlement
The law has been brought in to ensure that
employees who do not get bank holidays off
will get the same number of paid holidays as
those who do. If you already let employees
have bank holidays off as paid holidays on
top of their 20 days (or equivalent for part
time employees) entitlement, then you may
not need to take much action..
More information on employment issues is
available in our You and Work portal.
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