Rolled-up holiday pay is unlawful.

The short and simple answer;  no. Because it is unlawful to pay rolled up holiday pay.

What is rolled up holiday pay?

Rolled-up holiday pay is the practice of enhancing an individual’s normal pay, salary or hourly rate to cover holiday pay, instead of paying holiday pay while an employee or worker is actually on holiday. Some employers calculate rolled-up holiday pay as an additional 12.07% on top of hourly rate.

This practice is unlawful. Paying rolled up holiday pay instead of pay while an employee is on leave has been found to completely defeat the objective of the holiday pay legislation (Working Time directive). This is because it could put employees off taking leave and lead to a number of further more complex issues such as working conditions and standards.

While rolled up holiday pay is technically unlawful, sums which have already been paid to a worker/employee, under a transparent and comprehensible rolled up holiday pay arrangement, can be offset against any claim for unpaid holiday pay.

Government guidance states:

“Holiday pay should be paid for the time when annual leave is taken. An employer cannot include an amount for holiday pay in the hourly rate (known as ‘rolled-up holiday pay’). If a current contract still includes rolled-up pay, it needs to be re-negotiated.”

Some employers still choose to use the rolled up holiday pay method. The risks of this are:

1. A worker who claims they have not been able to take holiday is entitled to compensation. This could mean the employer effectively has to pay for holiday twice;
2. A worker prevented from taking holiday may be able to carry it over into next holiday year, and claim a very large sum of outstanding holiday on termination of their employment;
3. The calculation of 12.07% may not give the worker the correct holiday, particularly if they have irregular hours;
4. The set off rule may be interpreted restrictively.

How to move away from rolled-up holiday pay?

There is still a major issue – how do you deal with the holiday entitlement of casual or short-term workers?

It may be sensible to pay holiday entitlement at the end of an assignment, or the end of the holiday year. Alternatively, a computer software package may be needed to calculate holiday for a worker at any given time and can make things far more accurate and convenient.

If you have any questions surrounding holiday pay, employment law or HR related matters, please do not hesitate to contact Kate Brooks, Head of Employment & HR Services, give us a call on 01202 525333 or get in touch with a different office or member of the team.