Easter Sunday

[bug123]

My friend works at weekends for an independent shop. As the shop is closed on Easter Sunday, he is obviously unable to work. However, he has just found out that he is not going to get paid for Sunday - if he wants payment he must use one of his days out of his holiday entitlement. Is this right? I think it's illegal (and if not illegal, highly unfair!) as it is the law which prevents the shop from trading and my friend from working, rather than my friend just not wanting to work. Any thoughts or opinions?

[Buenchico]

It's perfectly legal.

Even with Monday to Friday jobs, most firms close on, for example, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's day. Firms normally pay their employees for these days but they then count as part of the employees' statutory holiday allowance. Your friend's employers are following exactly the same practice.

Actually, the firm are being more flexible than some others. Some firms would insist that the day off should be a paid holiday, rather than giving the employee a choice over the matter. For some people, the loss of a day's holiday entitlement (with no choice in the matter) could mean that they wouldn't have enough hoilday left later in the year to fulfil their plans.

Chris

[bug123]

Okey dokey!

[dot.hawkes]

My company pays anyone who is contracted to work sundays. i have a 4 hour member of stff who only works on a sunday and she will get paid anyway, even though the store is sclosed on sunday.

[bug123]

Well, thats what me wonder. I should be working Sunday but I am still getting paid for it. I suppose it all depends on the company you work for really (but I still think that my friend's employer is being really harsh!) :o)

[jason1980]

Again, no employer has a legal duty to pay people for working on Bank Holidays as if you take the day off it is classed as holiday pay, .... Bank Holiday & Holiday Pay = the purpose of holiday pay. Your employer has to pay you for 4 weeks work when you aren't working anyway over the course of a year. So you haven't lost out.

[stoo_pid]

bug123 - it might seem harsh to you but I agree with Buenchico in the sense that actually, your friend's employer is doing more than they have to by letting him choose whether to use that day as annual leave or not. If your friend's employer wanted to they could tell them exactly which days they use as holiday & many companies do this. As Chris points out, at least your friend has a choice. You are very lucky that you work for someone who gives you money to not work for a day & lets you still keep your holiday!