Half Days and Annual Leave

akira181

My office has flexi hours and has a half day Friday (Core hours: Mon-Thur 9 to 4, Fri 9-1, 39 hour week). So I work 7 to 4/4.30ish Mon to Thur and 8 till 1 Friday.

I wanted to take a Friday off but to do so, I need to use a full day annual leave because they don't want people just taking every Friday off for the year.

That just sounds like BS and they want to rob some holiday entitlement off you. They could have just denied multiple Friday's off in a row instead of charging double annual leave for it. It's bad enough that lunch is 12:30 to 1pm unpaid and they expect you to take that in the office on a Friday.

Is it legal for an employer to take a full days annual leave for a half day?

Undervalued

akira181 said:

My office has flexi hours and has a half day Friday (Core hours: Mon-Thur 9 to 4, Fri 9-1, 39 hour week). So I work 7 to 4/4.30ish Mon to Thur and 8 till 1 Friday.

I wanted to take a Friday off but to do so, I need to use a full day annual leave because they don't want people just taking every Friday off for the year.

That just sounds like BS and they want to rob some holiday entitlement off you. They could have just denied multiple Friday's off in a row instead of charging double annual leave for it. It's bad enough that lunch is 12:30 to 1pm unpaid and they expect you to take that in the office on a Friday.

Is it legal for an employer to take a full days annual leave for a half day?

No, as far as your statutory leave entitlement is concerned. They may be able to apply that rule to any additional contractual leave, over and above the statutory minimum.

However it is perfectly legal for them to refuse leave on a Friday, as when you can (and cannot) take your leave is entirely up to the employer.

So, as I always warn employees disputing holiday matters, be careful what you wish for as you might find yourself having to take your leave at the least desirable times!

sheramber

If you take a week’s holiday is that counted as five days or four and a half days?

gwynlas

If you are working true flexitime your leave should be counted in hours which means that Friday could be counted as 5 hours 8=1. They could make it a condition that no one is to take more than say 6 Fridays off throughout the year so that adequate cover available for core time.Taking a full day off you for a Friday is unfair.

prettyandfluffy

The same rule used to apply where I worked, however you were allowed to take a full day on alternate Fridays - subject to the requirements of the business etc. It might be worth asking if your employer would consider allowing something similar?