Query over extra bank holiday this year

liney

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bargainbetty

Everybody, please note the contractual requirement under English Law relates to statutory Bank Holidays only.

New Years Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Late May Bank Holiday, Whit Monday, Xmas and Boxing Day. These are the eight statutory Bank Holidays.

The Royal Wedding has been declared a Bank Holiday by the Government, but it has not legislated it to be a statutory holiday this year, nor does it seem likely that they will.

Under those conditions, employers have a right to determine their own treatment of the day. Employees are NOT entitled to 29th April off. If the employer decides to close up shop and have the day to celebrate, then they award the employee an extra day. If they continue to trade, then employees wishing to take that day out of their regular working pattern must class it as holiday or make alternative arrangements.

If your employer is closing the business for the day and still expects you to take a day of holiday, that would be unfair - he is removing your opportunity to work. However, if they are trading, you have no rights to expect a free day off.

anamenottaken

bargainbetty wrote: »

If your employer is closing the business for the day and still expects you to take a day of holiday, that would be unfair - he is removing your opportunity to work.

You may not think it is fair but it is absolutely lawful in that employers can say precisely when employees take their holidays.

They are not removing the opportunity to work so much as determining when a paid holiday is to be taken.