With Easter just gone and two more bank holidays imminent are you aware that if you have part time employees then their annual leave entitlement of bank holidays should be pro-rated?

But what do you do if their normal working day falls on a bank holiday and you shut for business? 

As an employer you can insist that they take the bank holidays as part of their annual leave as long as it is stated in their contract of employment. 

Alternatively, you can give your employee notice to take the leave on specific dates under the Working Time Regulations 1998. 

Did you also know that you can give your employee the option of working back the bank holidays if it suits your business needs and then the bank holiday just transfers to a normal annual leave day for the employee to take at a later date agreed with you as their employer.

If it is business as usual on bank holidays then you may be questioning whether you can insist they work? 

Yes, you can!  There is no statutory right for employees to take them off. 

Any rights for time off, payment for time off or extra pay for bank holidays worked depends on the terms and conditions of the employee’s contract of employment.

If you would like any clarification on any of the above, then please contact us but whatever you are doing, enjoy your 3 day weekend!