Is it possible to include a clause in employment contracts that allows the employer the possibility to ask the employee to use their accrued annual leave during his/her notice period?

Yes, such a provision can be advantageous for employers in that it avoids the need to make a payment for unused leave on termination and it can also be a useful mechanism for putting some distance between the employer and employee at what can be a sensitive time. However, it is important that employers give due consideration to the requirements of the Working Time Regulations (WTR). Under the WTR, an employer can require an employee to take leave on specified dates (including notice periods) but only if appropriate notice is given.

In essence, this notice must be at least twice the length of the period of leave that the employee in question is being required to take. There is no particular