How should an employer handle the different number of bank holidays in April-March leave years?
Because the date for Easter varies, employers who give their staff four weeks’ holiday, plus time off for bank holidays, could find themselves giving 30 days’ holiday (pro-rata for part-time staff) one year (four weeks’ plus ten bank holidays), and 26 days’ another year (four weeks’ plus six bank holidays). Staff should be able to take 4.8 weeks holiday in a year. To ensure this is the case, employers should either: – Agree with their staff that holiday is carried over in order to cover the bank holidays for a leave year when two Easters fall, or; – Give an additional two days holiday in a leave year during which Easter does not fall (to ensure that staff receive 4.8 weeks’ holiday in that year) Do employers need to reissue amended contracts of employment? No. As this is a change in terms of employment to the benefit of employees, employers do not need to reissue contracts; but do need to inform staff in writing of the increased holiday entitlement, either through a letter to staff or
