Holiday pay question.

sparko

Hi,
I have been working through an agency and am in my thirteenth week and will be taken on permanently next week. My colleague was a week ahead of me and has just been taken on.
He has two weeks booked off in August and HR have just dropped the bombshell that he will not be paid for them as he has not accrued any days.I will be in a similar situation as I have two weeks booked in September.

Is this right, all my other jobs I have been given the full entitlemant or prorata amount straight off with the understanding that if I were to leave the company and had used more days than I had earned then they would be repaid.

Many thanks

Mike

KiKi

Different organisations work differently, and agencies tend to offer holiday on an accrual basis, rather than allowing you to take them upfront.

If you work directly for an organisation, the latter is relatively easy, as you have a lot more job stability. With an agency, work is temporary, so if you take two weeks off then the company you're working for no longer require your service, the agency may have problems taking that holiday pay back. It's too risky for them.

You could ask for unpaid leave instead - worth a shot.

Sorry that's not what you want to hear.
KiKi

sparko

Thanks for the quick reply, I was a bit unclear before.I will no longer be working for the agency but for the company itself.

I've no problem getting the time off from work its the not being paid aspect as I can't really afford to drop £1000. I checked before booking my holiday that it would be Ok as my boss had told me he would be taking me on but no one mentioned that I wouldn't be paid

KiKi

Apologies, I missed the part about becoming permanent.

Even if you are working directly for the company now, they still may have a policy of accruing leave. Regardless of that, it is entirely an employer's prerogative to dictate when you take or cancel your holiday, as long as they give you notice that's twice as long as the holiday itself.

If I were you I would pursue it with the person who will be your boss, and get their agreement. HR might repeat the party line, but it doesn't mean that individual managers won't help you out.

KiKi

LittleVoice

KiKi wrote: »

Apologies, I missed the part about becoming permanent.

Even if you are working directly for the company now, they still may have a policy of accruing leave. Regardless of that, it is entirely an employer's prerogative to dictate when you take or cancel your holiday, as long as they give you notice that's twice as long as the holiday itself.

If I were you I would pursue it with the person who will be your boss, and get their agreement. HR might repeat the party line, but it doesn't mean that individual managers won't help you out.

KiKi

The question was not about the holiday in terms of the time off being cancelled but about not being paid at the time the holiday was taken.

getmore4less

You have accrued 1.4 weeks min from 13 weeks at the agency so that money can fund most of the 2 weeks.

pluss you will accrue another 0.75 weeks holiday between now and sept that will cover the rest of the days.

Since you will have allready taken holiday they can pay in lieu holiday accrued after you have taken the time off, ask if they are prepared to do that.

sparko

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Things are much clearer now

Mike

KiKi

LittleVoice wrote: »

The question was not about the holiday in terms of the time off being cancelled but about not being paid at the time the holiday was taken.

Yes, that's what my last paragraph referred to - HR might say it has to be accrued but the the individual manager might let it through and offer it paid.

The other information was just information. He may not have asked for it, I appreciate that, but let's not post just to criticise me for trying to help!!

KiKi

cord123

I cant understand how the holiday has to be accured first before you can take it..... Unless holiday cant be taken in the first 3 months.... at some point you will have to take holiday before it is accrued otherwise you will always carry some over....

Hammyman

sparko wrote: »

Is this right, all my other jobs I have been given the full entitlemant or prorata amount straight off with the understanding that if I were to leave the company and had used more days than I had earned then they would be repaid.

I have only ever had two jobs in my entire 24 years in work where I have been given the full entitlement up front. Most companies work this way due to people leaving and never repaying.