Extra Bank Holiday for the Diamond Jubilee
I have received a noticeable increase in calls from clients over the last month or so relating to holiday entitlement and particularly in reference to the extra bank holiday for the Diamond Jubilee in June.
For the second year in succession there will be nine bank and public holidays in England and Wales in 2012 instead of the usual eight days (there are usually eight bank and public holidays in Scotland but nine days if St Andrew’s Day is granted as an extra bank holiday, and ten bank and public holidays in Northern Ireland). The Scottish Government has also followed suit and announced a special bank holiday in Scotland for the Diamond Jubilee.
Bank and Public Holidays for 2012
The additional day will fall on Tuesday 5 June and is to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The spring bank holiday has been moved to Monday 4 June to accompany it.
The dates for England and Wales are:-
- New Year’s Day – January 2nd
- Good Friday – April 6th
- Easter Monday – April 9th
- Early May – May 7th
- Late May – June 4th
- Diamond Jubilee – June 5th
- Summer – August 27th
- Christmas Day – December 25th
- Boxing Day – December 26th
That means that employees who work Monday to Friday will only need to take three days from their leave entitlement in order to gain a nine-day break from work. The week also coincides with the half-term break at many schools.
Do I have to Give My Employee’s an Extra Day Off?
The working time Regulations provide for an entitlement of 5.6 weeks annual leave but the announcement of an extra bank holiday does not increase that entitlement.
There is no statutory right for employees to take bank or public holidays off work or to receive pay for bank or public holidays if they do not work them. There is also no statutory right to receive time and a half or double time when a bank or public holiday is worked.
However, where the employee’s contract contains clauses outlining a right to time off, payment for time off or extra pay or days off in lieu for bank or public holidays worked then this will override the statutory entitlements.
Therefore, it all depends on how the holiday clause within the contract of employment is written.
Holiday Entitlement Toolkit
My Holiday Entitlement Toolkit provides simple and straightforward answers to common questions relating to Holiday Entitlement in the UK, such as how to:
- Calculate holiday for starters and leavers
- Calculate holiday entitlement for part-time and non standard working patterns.
- Deal with part days
- Decline or cancel a pre approved holiday
- Enforce a period of holiday on an employee or group of employees
- Deal with competing request for holiday
- Deal with an employee who goes ahead with a holiday which has not been authorised
- Calculate holiday pay
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