Annual Leave

Published: 20 May 2020

We have had lots of enquiries recently about annual leave/holidays in the current situation. Below are the main points but do get in touch if you have a different query.

1. Holidays continue to accrue as normal regardless of whether employees are working less hours, none at all, laid off temporarily or self isolating
   
   
2. Employers should encourage workers to take leave all through the year so that they have time off work to rest but employers can insist that employees take leave at a specific time. To do this an employer must give notice which has to be double the amount of time they want you to take off. For example, to require an employee to take one weeks holiday the employer has to give two weeks notice
   
   
3. Holidays must be paid at the normal contractual rate
   
   
4. Employers can refuse to grant an application for holidays if it doesn't suit the business as that time
   
   
5. Employees can ask to cancel pre-booked holidays if they no longer want to take the time off. An employer can choose whether or not to agree to this
   
   
6. The Dept for Enterprise is going to amend the Annual Leave Regulations so that any holidays staff accrue during the current holiday year that cannot be taken, can be carried forward to the next year. Normally and unless the employment contract says otherwise, accrued but untaken holiday is lost at the end of the holiday year.  We will update you when we know the detail behind this but it will be good news for employers and employees.

As always you can get in touch with us by ringing +44 1624 672942 (if we don't answer do leave a quick message and we will call you back the same day (in most cases) or email iro@mirs.org.im