Our contract provides for 25 days plus stats and bank hols. From April 09 the increases of holiday entitlement mean each employee has an exra 3 days. This obviously is at a cost to the business and as a small business and in the current economic climate puts extra pressure on the business. To assist the business I would like to recommend the three days are taken following the Christmas and Boxing Day period. Historically since 2000 we have always closed at Chrismas and returned on 2nd Jan. The office closed and employees did not have to save any of their holiday entitlement and nothing is written in the contract. It has always been stipulated (although nothing in writing) that the business could decide to open between Christmas and New Year. The holiday policy states any other dates other than stats and banks would be determined at the beginning of each year. I don’t know where we stand if we insist the extra 3 days are taken between Christmas and New Year when we have normally closed. I know this may sound rather miserly, but we are forever at the mercy of the government and lose out as a business.
Jo Oxley