Do we get a day off for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?

There is an extra bank holiday on Friday 3^rd June 2022. In addition the end of May 2022 bank holiday has been moved to Thursday 2^nd June 2022 meaning there will be a 4 day bank holiday weekend in the UK. For more information click here.

Are employees entitled to an extra day’s holiday for the Jubilee?

All employees and workers are entitled by law to a minimum of 5.6 weeks’ holiday per year. For a full time worker this equates to 28 days holiday.

There is no legal entitlement to have bank holidays off as holiday.

There is only a legal entitlement to a minimum amount of holiday days to be taken through the year.

It is a legal requirement to put in writing to an employee how much holiday they are entitled to get. The first port of call will be to look at the employment contract:

1. If the contract states 20 days plus bank holidays, then the employee will be entitled to the extra bank holiday as there is no reference to usual bank holidays;
2. If the contract refers to usual bank holidays i.e. 20 days plus the usual bank holidays, then the employee may not be entitled to the extra day; or
3. If the contract states 28 days to include the usual bank holidays, then the employee may not be entitled to the extra day off.

If there is no employment contract, the answer will depend on custom and practice i.e. are bank holiday included in the holiday entitlement or in addition to a minimum entitlement.

What about part time workers?

Employer’s must exercise caution when calculating a part time workers entitlement to holiday and bank holidays. The safest approach is to pro rata the bank holidays to reflect the number of hours worked in a year.

If you have any questions about employment contracts, or right to holiday, please do not hesitate to get in touch Kate Brooks kate.brooks@ellisjones.co.uk or 01202 057754.