We employ a number of staff on zero hours contracts and currently calculate their holiday entitlement based on the actual hours they work.  Holiday for zero hours staff is accrued at the same rate as permanent staff which falls between 0.084615 – 0.103846 hours for every hour worked (which equates to 22 – 27 days basic holiday entitlement per year depending on service).

Permanent employees receive an allowance for bank holidays and all bank holidays have to be booked as holiday if the employee would normally be working but isn’t. How does bank holiday allowance work for a zero hours employee who doesn’t have a working pattern or contracted hours?  We don;t currently give them any holiday allowance which probably isn’t correct.

One thing spring to mind in relation to the expected change to the WTR which will allow staff to accrue holiday whilst on sick leave.  Bearing in mind that a zero hours employee accrues holiday based on the actual time worked (and not contracted hours as they don’t actually have any contracted hours), how will this work if they take sick leave?

Thanks