extra holiday entitlement if you are getting married?

credit_crunch

hi
some friends have said they are getting up to an extra 3 weeks paid leave in the year they are getting married.
Is this by law, or is it at a company's discretion?
I am in Northern Ireland (as are my friends who are getting the extra paid leave)
If anyone could shed some light I would appreciate it.
I have already contact CAB by phone & email, but still waiting on a response.
Thanks in advance
CC

WestonDave

They are either winding you up or its a company specific thing - there is no provision in law for this.

Jarndyce

Far from being a legal entitlement (are you serious?!) this is arguably unlawful now under the Equality Act and open to challenge by an unmarried (or gay - assuming they're not giving it for civil partnerships) worker claiming less favourable treatment. Archaic nonsense.

credit_crunch

Hi thanks for your quick replies.
My fiance works for a privately run golf club & he gets 2 weeks extra paid holidays.
My cousin works for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (government housing association) and she gets 1 week extra paid holidays.
It was a genuine question, as obviously I could benefit from extra time off this year (like a lot of people I'm sure)
Thanks for sharing your views.
CC

zzzLazyDaisy

I suspect your friends are winding you up. I have advised thousands of employers, large and small, in my time and even the most generous of employers have not offered an extra 3 weeks when an employee gets married.

That's not to say it could never happen, but if I was a betting person I know where my money would be

skintandscared_2

At our firm the only concession as regards getting married and holiday is that they allow us to carry over slightly more than the usual maximum of 5 days. So if I knew I was getting married next year, I would be allowed to "save" some extra days from this year's allowance and use them for a honeymoon next year. But cumulatively over the two years, the allowance would be exactly the same.

chunkychocky

I used to work for BAE SYSTEMS and they used to offer an additional 5 days holiday when you got married. This policy was removed from their handbook, but most managers still agreed it. I had the extra 5 days holiday when I got married 6 years ago.

credit_crunch

thanks very much.
you have all been very helpful.
we aren't allowed to carry any extra days so that isnt an option.
thanks again :-)
CC

Wyndham

I got an extra week when I got married - but only just got in before they changed the rules. And that was 18 years ago.....

I suspect that these days it would be unlawful as others have said.

And it was something the specfic company did, not anything required more widely.

SarEl

It may or may not be true. It may or may not be a nice gesture. It is also unlawful discrimination on the grounds of marital status. And will land any such nice employers in a tribunal sooner or later.

skintandscared_2

This is an interesting thread actually. At our place, fee earners are given a £300 cheque when they get married, but there's no such pressie for support staff. Is that legal? (to the unmarried fee earners and the support staff)