Funeral Bank Holiday, work closed, forced holiday

Blusoop

So on the day of the Queen's Funeral, my Husband's employer is closing the business for the Queen's Funeral, but has told the employees they HAVE to use annual leave to cover the day. Surely if they shut the business, it means they are forcing employees to take the day off and therefore should allow staff to take the day off without deducting holiday?
I guess they will have checked their legal position but I think they will create a lot of negativity in the workplace by doing this.
Given the option I think my husband would rather work than take a days holiday when his work make him, rather than on a day of his choosing.

74jax

An employer can dictate when an employee takes their holiday. 
A bank holiday day is just the same as a none bank holiday day.

Does your husband's Contract say he has :
'x amount of holidays and ALL Bank Holidays' off, or
'x amount of holidays and 8 Bank Holidays' ? Or,
'x amount of holidays' with no mention n to bank Holidays?

Let us know what the wording is. 

p00hsticks

Blusoop said:

Surely if they shut the business, it means they are forcing employees to take the day off and therefore should allow staff to take the day off without deducting holiday?

No - as 74jax says, providing they give enough notice (I believe it's double the period that they are asking people to take so two days in this case) an employer can dictate that people take leave when they say. There are industries where employees have no choice as to when to take the vast majority of their holidays - potteries, for example, certainly used to close for a fortnight 'wakes holiday' in summer and between Christmans and year. And school teachers are obviously very restricted by the nature of their jobs.

TBagpuss

it may be frustrating but it is perfectly legal. the only situation where they would have to pay is if the contract explicitly states that they are entitled to x days holiday plus all bank holidays 

What did they do for the Jubilee bank holiday? Did they require eveyone to use holiday or did they give that tin addition to normal holidays? Or did they stay open? 

Brie

Any chance that the employer actually needs people to work but doesn't want to put pressure on anyone?  My employer only had Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Day as non working days but then would ask if anyone wanted to work or be on call which would get them extra pay/days off.

I do quite agree that it's a bit of a hit if one is forced to not work and use holiday because of that, particularly unexpectedly and very particularly if the employee actually feels no need to mourn.  But I also wonder how often businesses can afford to cover costs when the business isn't actually operating and earning a profit of any sort.  Big corp - no problem but lots of businesses are still recovering from the last 2 years.

DullGreyGuy

Brie said:

I do quite agree that it's a bit of a hit if one is forced to not work and use holiday because of that, particularly unexpectedly and very particularly if the employee actually feels no need to mourn.  But I also wonder how often businesses can afford to cover costs when the business isn't actually operating and earning a profit of any sort.  Big corp - no problem but lots of businesses are still recovering from the last 2 years.

There are plenty who dont have the luxury of holidays to use and so it will simply be unpaid leave because they are self employed but their clients have decided to close.

JReacher1

Sounds like he has a bad employer. Personally I would look for another job. 

NCC1701-A

Blusoop said:

So on the day of the Queen's Funeral, my Husband's employer is closing the business for the Queen's Funeral, but has told the employees they HAVE to use annual leave to cover the day. Surely if they shut the business, it means they are forcing employees to take the day off and therefore should allow staff to take the day off without deducting holiday?
I guess they will have checked their legal position but I think they will create a lot of negativity in the workplace by doing this.
Given the option I think my husband would rather work than take a days holiday when his work make him, rather than on a day of his choosing.

How much negativity would they cause by forcing people to work who wish to pay their respects?

Marcon

JReacher1 said:

Sounds like he has a bad employer. Personally I would look for another job. 

Just think how that would sound to a prospective employer if you gave that as the reason for leaving.

JReacher1

Marcon said:

JReacher1 said:

Sounds like he has a bad employer. Personally I would look for another job. 

Just think how that would sound to a prospective employer if you gave that as the reason for leaving.

I think a lack of flexibility over holiday days is an acceptable reason to seek a new job. 

It’s strange that you don’t think it is 

Ath_Wat

JReacher1 said:

Marcon said:

JReacher1 said:

Sounds like he has a bad employer. Personally I would look for another job. 

Just think how that would sound to a prospective employer if you gave that as the reason for leaving.

I think a lack of flexibility over holiday days is an acceptable reason to seek a new job. 

It’s strange that you don’t think it is 

It's a bit strange that knowing nothing other than that, you would suggest looking for a new job.  He might be on £100K a year for 4hours a day, 3 days a week.  But that's fine, he should get a new job because they want him to take a day's holiday for this.