Christmas 2015 and Bank Holidays

Q.I was wondering if anyone could help me on a query I have, Christmas Day this year falls on a Friday and Boxing Day is the Saturday. The Friday is a bank holiday and the bank holiday is the Monday of the following week in lieu of Boxing Day.

For team members who work 6 days a week which includes Saturdays…what do you class as bank holiday the Saturday or the Monday?

As a practice we will be closed the Friday Saturday and the Monday so do staff members have all 3 days as paid leave or would they have to use a day’s holiday?

A. I think officially the Monday is the Bank Holiday however I would say one day will be holiday whichever way you look at it, however as it is a practice decision to close maybe a compromise could be made.

A. All three days, if you are closed, should be considered bank holiday for those who are usually scheduled to work on the Saturday.  These three days should be counted as part of their holiday package.

A.Do your staff have Bank Holidays and Practice Closure holidays included in their holiday entitlements?

If they do then 1 day for the Saturday would be deducted

If they do not they would be invited to take it unpaid?

I always ensure my rota states a year in advance all Bank and Public Holidays and Practice Closures.

All my staff have Bank and Public Holidays and Practice Closures (on the days they normally work) deducted off of their holiday entitlement.

A.It's a double edged sword situation because of the Saturday, either the staff lose out or the employer does. Personally if it was my practice I would say all three days off with pay, it is Christmas and I think staff morale would be pretty poor if I made them come in on the Saturday.

A.In answer to your query – in order to be fair to all staff members we would consider the Saturday as a normal working day, and it would therefore come out their holiday entitlement.

A.We always pay all the Christmas holiday, whatever the Bank Holiday arrangements. If the practice is closed then it's paid leave, and doesn't require staff to lose a day's holiday.

A.I’m not an expert but if holiday entitlement includes bank holidays does it make a difference. You’ll be closed and it will count as part of holiday entitlement I’d have thought?

A. The staff should have the 3 days as paid leave

A.As far as I understand the Saturday is classed as a normal working day as the Monday is the bank holiday. Therefore they would use a day’s holiday if not working the Saturday if that makes sense?

A. We pay for all 3 days.

A.I would say that all of those days are paid bank holidays.

June 2015