2 week holiday - the law?

[c00ky83]

A bone of contention in my workplace is that we are forced to take 2 consecutive weeks holiday, because it's "the law". We're told it's related to fraud. Can't find this particular law on Google - can anyone elaborate on it?

[KRUSTYMAN]

There is no such law! Your employer is trying to make his/her life easier. If you have any doubts and want clarity take a trip into your local citizens advice beaurau (?). I find it insulting to your intelligence that your employer expects you to believe such rot?

[CheekyChops]

It certainly isn't law, I can't remember the last time I had two consecutive weeks (my choice).

However, it may well be your employer who wants employees to have 2 weeks together and it is perfectly lawful for them to insist on this, they are legally entitled to dictate how and when employees take their holidays, as long as you get the correct number of days in total.

[CheekyChops]

From the CAB website, pay attention to paragraph 3...:

Can you choose when to take holiday

You can ask to take your holiday whenever you choose, as long as you give your employer the right notice and take into account certain agreements between you and your employer. However, an employer has the right to refuse your request to take holiday, as long as they give you the right notice at the right time and take account of certain agreements between you.

Your employer can order you to take all or any of your holiday at a particular time, as long as they give you the right notice at the right time and take into account certain agreements between you.

The law does not put any limit on the amount of holiday you can take at any one time. This means you are not entitled to take two weeks of holiday at once, unless your agreement or employment contract says you can. This means that as long as an employer gives their employee the right notice at the right time, they could make you take your holiday as they choose, for example, take every Friday as leave until you have used up all of your holiday.

[terambulan]

This may help

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/emplo yment/holidays_and_holiday_pay.htm#can_you_cho ose_when_to_take_holiday

Can't see anything relating to 2 consecutive weeks except if its in your contract for employment

[chelle7272]

Previous answers are right - no such law. Link below outlines all your rights with holiday as an employee.
Hope it helps
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=80 6

[jen78]

I'm not so sure about the law but it may be a company policy if you work somewhere like a bank.

Many frauds are committed internally and it is often recommended that staff take a longer consecutive holiday than normal as it means it's easier to pick up on any fraud taking place and more offputting to potential fraudsters due to the increased potential of any fraud being detected.

[jen78]

Unless you're in New York as it's apparantly banking law there...

http://216.239.116.135/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is _/ai_n13968807

Possible other states may have this as well.

[annie0000]

The reason that employers. especially in the financial sector, insist that employees take 2 weeks consecutive holiday is for reasons of fraud. If someone is perpetrating a fraud, apparantly it is fairly easy to continue it undetected when absent for only one week, but if the person is away for 2 weeks it is most likely to be discovered in the normal checks done. Not sure how this is affected now that most processes are automated. But the practice is still common in most financial institutions and I have had it in my contract of employment with my last 3 employers.

The reason generally given by employers is that it is a health benefit to staff to have a 2 week break so that they can fully relax.

It may not be law, but if it is in your contract of employment then you have to abide by it.

[Twenty20]

Try looking in your contract of employment or office procedures rather than on Google

[harryt]

I work for an insurance company and the "2 week rule" is the case where i work. They have told me, as you say it's to prevent fraud?
Something about being able to catch any Laundering or fraud within a 1 week period is harder to spot?
I dont agree with it either , but it's my companies policy.

[sandmaster]

I suspect you work in one of the large high street banks. I think it was in the 1960s that a supervisor in one branch worked extra hours every week, never took holidays and broke rules by posting entries which should have been undertaken by two people (she hid this aspect).(Pre computer days). Her manager thought she was fantastic. But she eventually had to take sick leave and it soon became clear she was defrauding the bank. A new rule was brought in that stated staff had to take all their annual entitlement and that it must include a period of two weeks which gives the bank the opportunity to detect systematic abuse of its systems. Not the law of the land but when you signed your contract of employment you accepted that you had to observe the bank's rules. They are there for the protection of the bank and its customers not for the bank's convenience.