How much holiday is an employee entitled to?

How much holiday is a full time employee entitled to?

An employee who works full-time is – at the time of writing - legally entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday annually. This 5.6 weeks’ of statutory paid holiday entitlement can include the bank or public holidays.

How much holiday is a part-time employee entitled to?

An employee who is employed on a part time basis is also entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday annually however the amount of holiday is calculated in proportion to the number of hours or days worked (i.e., pro rata).

For example, if an employee works for 2 days a week, the employee should receive at least 11.2 days of paid annual leave. 

Can an employer give more annual leave than the statutory minimum?

An employer can give its employees more annual leave than the statutory minimum. The amount of holiday that an employee is entitled to should be noted in their employment contract. 

It is also important to note that an employee can build up/accrue their holiday from their first day of work including whether the employee is on:

i) sick, maternity, paternity, adoption, parental leave; or

ii) probationary period.

How much notice of annual leave should an employee give an employer?

Generally, when requesting annual leave, employees should give their employer a notice period which is twice as long as the amount of annual leave that the employee wishes to take. 

Can an employer refuse to grant annual leave?

An employer may restrict when annual leave can be taken. However, while an employer may reject a request for leave during a particular period of time, the employer cannot decline to grant leave entirely. 

Call the specialist employment lawyer 

Magara law is an employment law firm based in Bicester, Banbury and Paddington, London, and services clients nationwide. For more information or to speak with Roy Magara, a specialist employment lawyer at Magara Law, call 01869 325 883 or email roy@magaralaw.co.uk.