Holidays and Extended Leave

Helen O'Brien writes:

With William and Kate’s marriage just around the corner and the additional bank holiday headache fresh in the minds of many, it’s an ideal time to look at the subject of holiday entitlement.


1. Statutory Holiday Entitlement

All workers are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks paid holiday in each “leave year” from 1 April 2009 (which equates to 28 days for workers who work a five-day week).

For workers who start or leave employment part way through a leave year, the entitlement is to a pro-rata proportion of 28 days’ leave, based on the portion of the year worked.

Part-time employees have a right to a pro-rata proportion of the annual leave entitlement. For example, a