How does coronavirus affect annual leave and can I carry over holiday?
EMPLOYEES might not be able to travel abroad at the moment due to coronavirus, but what does this mean for your annual holiday allowance from work?
Some Brits might be wondering if they can carry their annual holiday allowance into next year, given they can't go away right now.
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How much holiday am I entitled to?
The amount of holiday you get each year will depend on the type of contract you're on.
In the UK, full-time workers and employees are entitled to a minimum of 28 days' paid holiday a year.
This is equivalent to 5.6 weeks, and this can include bank holidays.
Zero hour and agency workers have the same entitlement to paid holiday, based on the average hours they have worked.
Part time members of staff get get paid holiday too, but it will be the number of days worked a week multiplied by 5.6.
Self-employed workers don't usually get paid annual leave.
Holiday pay - what happens if you can't take holiday
HERE'S what options you have if you're unable to take holiday.
When can your boss deny your holiday request?
As a general rule you need to give your boss a notice period of twice the amount of time you are taking for your holiday.
For example if you request five days of holiday you have to provide a minimum of ten days’ notice.
Your boss can force you to take holiday at certain times of year like Christmas and New Year or bank holidays when your workplace may be closed.
Companies can also set limits on how many days in a row you can take off to stop just taking a whole month off at once.
My boss won't let me take any of the dates off that I have suggested
See how much time off the people you work with have taken off as well as how far in advance they let their boss know they were going to take time off.
See if they got similar treatment or if you are being unfairly treated.
You have a statutory right to your holiday and if you feel that is being infringed upon you can go to court.
Before you make a claim you need to talk to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).
They will try one last time to reconcile the issue, and if that fails they will give you guidance on how to make an employment tribunal claim
How do I calculate my holiday entitlement?
You can use this tool to calculate .
Can I carry my holiday allowance into next year because of coronavirus?
You may be able to carry over any unused holiday days, but the decision will ultimately be down to your employer.
The government has just introduced a temporary new law allowing workers to carry over up to four weeks’ paid holiday over a two-year period.
This has been designed for staff who've been affected by coronavirus - for example, those who've had to self-isolate or key workers who've had to cancel holiday so they can keep working.
But again, it'll be up to your employer to allow you to do this - they don't have to let you carry holiday over.
If you're worried about using all your holiday, it's worth discussing your options with your boss.
Despite coronavirus, workers should still try and take holiday days as normal if they can.
Tom Neil, senior adviser at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), said: "During the coronavirus outbreak, it may not be possible for staff to take all their holiday entitlement during the current holiday year.
"In most situations, employees and workers should use their paid holiday in their current leave year.
"This is important because taking holiday helps people get enough rest and keep physically and mentally healthy."
What about if I've been furloughed?
If you've been furloughed, Acas says holiday can be taken as usual but again, this will be up to your employer to approve any time off.
We've asked Acas if furloughed workers are covered by the new two-year holiday carry over law and we'll update this article when we know more.
Can my employer tell me when to take holiday?
Technically yes, your boss usually has the right to tell you when to take holiday - the rules haven't changed in light of coronavirus.
If your boss wants you to take holiday, they must give you at least twice as many days notice as the amount of days they want you to take off.
For example, if they want you to use five days' worth of your holiday allowance, they should give you ten days' notice.
Your boss can also cancel pre-booked paid holiday.
If they decide to do this, they must give staff at least the same number of days’ notice as the original holiday request.
So if you have a five days off booked, your employer must give you five days' notice to cancel these plans.
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