HOLI-YAY
How to get 21 days off work with just nine days annual leave with clever move – but you need to act NOW
We break down your holiday entitlements and what to do if your boss won't approve your requests
JULY is the prime time to optimise the rest of your annual leave and get 21 days off.
There have been four Bank Holidays so far this year, but there are still three more to go.
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For those of you with a typical 9-to-5 job, then you can make your holiday stretch further and only use seven days of annual leave by booking these exact dates.
Most workers who work five days a week are legally entitled to 28 days' paid leave a year.
That's equivalent to 5.6 working weeks of holiday.
Before you book any of these dates off, check that you get all your Bank Holidays off from your employer - otherwise, the trick won't work.
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August
The summer Bank Holiday lands on Monday, August 26 this year.
You'll get a nine-day stint by only booking these four dates off:
- Tuesday, August 27
- Wednesday, August 28
- Thursday, August 29
- Friday, August 30
December
There are two Bank Holidays in December - Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) and Thursday, December 26 (Boxing Day).
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You can enjoy nine days off by booking just these three days off on leave:
- Monday, December 23
- Tuesday, December 24
- Friday, December 27
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Or, you can get 12 days off work, including the weekend, by booking off the following days:
- Friday, December 27
- Monday, December 30
- Tuesday, December 31
- Thursday, January 2
- Friday, January 3
What are my rights to time off?
You will need to, of course, make sure your boss agrees to holiday requests to make the most of this holiday hack.
As we said, most employees who work a five-day week must get the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.
However there is no obligation for employers to grant requests for specific dates.
Getting the dates off often depends on how many other employees plan to take time off at the same time– so getting in early to make a request can make a difference.
And make sure you get time off approved before you pay for plans, that you may not be able to do.
Holiday Pay: Your Rights, Advice & Entitlements
Here are your rights when it comes to taking time off work:
Can my boss deny my 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 a 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 your .
How much annual leave am I entitled to?
If you are classed as a full-time worker, then you are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave. This includes agency workers, employees with irregular hours and part-year workers.
If you work a five-day week, this works out as 28 days’ paid annual leave a year.
Part-time workers still get 5.6 weeks, but this will add up to less than 28 days and is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
For instance, if you work two days a week, you should get 11.2 days of holiday, whereas if you work 3 days, you should get 16.8 days of annual leave each year.
Employers can choose to include bank holidays within this statutory holiday, but some may offer bank holidays on top. Check your contract to see how your business works.
It’s worth getting your requests in as soon as possible as most businesses won’t let too many people off at once.
Make sure that any time off is approved before you make concrete plans or book flights, otherwise you could come unstuck.
There is no legal obligation for your employers to grant you specific days of annual leave.
What pay can I get if I work on a bank holiday?
If you work on bank holidays, your employer will have to pay you. However, a common myth is that employees must be paid more than their usual rate for bank holiday hours.
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Unfortunately, companies do not have to do this and can choose to pay you as normal.
However, some businesses and industries may choose to pay higher rates for working bank holidays to attract seasonal workers.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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