Bank holiday pay

[Amara]

Can anyone tell me, if you are employed should you be paid for Bankholidays, if the company is closed and it is a normal working day for you?

[atolhurst]

When you are first employed by the company, your contract should tell you whether you are paid for bank holidays or not. The law does not require companies to pay bank holidays (whether they choose to open on those days or not) unless you book those days off as part of your annual holiday entitlement. That said, most english companies do pay them on top of giving you a holiday entitlement.

Companies that work in england and scotland may give an overall annual entitlement taking into account bank holidays (as some scottish bank holidays do not mirror englishs ones), meaning that you have to book those days off as you would do other days.

With all that said, your company should have their stance on the point laid out somewhere. If they don't, then you should obviously ask, but in the mean time, assume the worst in that they don't pay them so you won't be disappointed.

[Amara]

thanks for the response...and therein lies my next question - are employers required to give you a contract of employment or at the very least a statement of your terms of employment?

[Buenchico]

To answer your first question:
In most circumstances, if your firm closes for a day (on a public holiday or for any other reason) they should pay you (at normal rate) but they are also entitled to count that day as part of your statutory annual holiday allowance. (Which is 4 times the number of days you work each week).

To answer your second question:
You have a right to receive a written statement of employment particulars. Details of what this must contain are available on the Department of Trade & Industry website:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/statement-pl700_a.ht m

Chris

[Hgrove]

I believe the law is changing or about to change and employers will no longer be able to count a bank holiday as part of your year round holiday entitlement. This, however, may be for the future.