Are we obliged to give the bank holiday for the Royal Wedding? Friday is our busiest production day and granting this day will cause us operational difficulty.

The right of employees to take holiday is governed partly by statute and partly by contract. Subject to certain exceptions, workers have a statutory right to a minimum of 5.6 weeks' paid annual leave (equivalent to 28 days for a full-time employee) under the Working Time Regulations in NI. Further, many employees receive holiday rights in addition to their statutory entitlements under their contracts of employment.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no statutory right to time off (paid or otherwise) on any public holiday under the Working Time Regulations. Whether an employee can be required to work on a public holiday depends on their contract and, in some cases, their manager’s