Employers and employees can be in for a lot of trouble if they don’t take the right measures.
Oliver Higenbottam explains the annual leave blackouts. The Timetastic
What does an annual leave blackout mean?
Annual leave blackout periods are times when employees are prohibited from taking annual leave. This is usually due to high business demand or critical operational periods. Employers in industries that experience seasonal fluctuations like retail, finance, or hospitality will often set these blackout periods.
People may be surprised by annual leave restrictions if employers restrict their time off even when they have accumulated holiday days. These restrictions are often not known until it is too late by new hires and employees who work in industries that have irregular busy seasons.
Do I need to know if the restrictions apply to me?
Can my employer enforce a last-minute Christmas blackout?
spanstyle=”font weight: 400 ;”>”A company can enforce a blackout around Christmas as long as they give employees enough notice. This is usually done by following the UK employment law rule of “doubling the length of leave”. If an employer wants to limit annual leave by two weeks around Christmas, it must inform employees four weeks before.
My employer can cancel my holiday after it has been approved?
Yes, UK employers are allowed to cancel approved and pre-booked annual leave. However, they must give sufficient notice. It is required by law that employers give as much notice of a cancellation as the duration of the leave (e.g. one week notice for a one-week leave). This is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. Employers should also have a valid business reason to cancel the leave .”
What can I do to prepare for a blackout of annual leave?
- Review company policies as early as possible : “Review your employee handbook or contract well in advance to confirm any restrictions or blackout dates.”
- Plan ahead : “If time off is needed for personal reasons, such as childcare, ask for it as soon as possible. Preferably months before the blackout takes place.”
- Communicate to managers : “Speak to your supervisor about possible leave plans in order to gauge flexibility, or to obtain informal approval if you can.”
- Create a backup plan : “Be ready for the possibility of your leave being cancelled due to unforeseen business requirements, and do not make non-refundable bookings before you receive official approval and have confirmed blackout periods.”
The original HR News article Christmas leave loophole to affect thousands appeared first on HR News .
