{"id":8465,"date":"2020-07-29T12:53:23","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T12:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.riaabarkergillette.com\/uk\/?p=8465"},"modified":"2024-11-19T17:57:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T17:57:05","slug":"holiday-entitlement-pay-and-furlough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.riaabarkergillette.com\/uk\/holiday-entitlement-pay-and-furlough\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday entitlement, pay and furlough"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COVID-19 has caused unprecedented challenges for employers for several reasons. You may have furloughed many of your staff members. However, there is still a need to navigate holiday pay and leave entitlement. In this article, we look at how holiday entitlement and pay apply during the Coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide is for employers with furloughed employees, and those with employees who have continued to work during this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coronavirus and holiday entitlement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Most UK workers can take up to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday per year, which is the statutory minimum. Many employees are entitled to more holiday when expressed in their employment contract. Workers can take the same amount of holiday, regardless of whether they are on sick leave, maternity leave, parental leave, or any other type of statutory leave, including furlough leave. It is important to note that there is no requirement for workers to take holiday while they are on sick leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furloughed workers and holiday entitlement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Workers continue to accrue holiday while they are on furlough and may take holiday without affecting their furlough. If you require an employee to take some of their holiday entitlement while on furlough, it is important to consider whether the employee can relax and enjoy leisure time (the purpose of a holiday). The need to self-isolate, socially distance, or if an employee is sick, may prevent them from resting. This is a fundamental part of taking holidays from work. You must also comply with the Working Time Regulations 1998<\/a> by providing twice as much notice of the requirement for the worker to take holiday, as against the period of holiday which you wish them to take. For example, if you require a worker to take five days\u2019 holiday, you must provide ten days\u2019 notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are furloughed workers entitled to bank holidays?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If a bank holiday falls within a period of furlough, and the worker would typically have been working on that date, the bank holiday will not affect furlough. However, if the employee would normally have had annual leave on that date, you have two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n