How does a business deal with public holidays if they don't open for business on Monday? Are employees entitled to be compensated for public holidays that fall on Mondays or any other days on which an employer doesn’t open, or is an employee to be compensated if s/he is not contracted to work, even if the employer is open?

There is no statutory right to time off (paid or otherwise) on any bank or public holiday. Under the Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998, workers are entitled to 28 days’ annual leave entitlement per year (inclusive of the usual public holidays in Northern Ireland).

As long as your employees are receiving their 28 days’ entitlement (or pro rata equivalent for any part- time employees), there is no right to any additional compensation for public holidays. The simplest way to achieve equality for any part-time members of staff is to ensure that they receive a pro-rata equivalent to their full-time colleagues’ annual leave entitlement.