It’s officially Summer, and at this time of year you may be getting ready for that summer break you’ve booked – which in turn could beg the question; are you receiving the correct holiday entitlement?

Most employers will offer statutory entitlement to their employees, which is 28 days a year (5.6 weeks), which can either be inclusive or exclusive of Bank Holidays.

Should your employer take Bank Holidays out of your entitlement, then the minimum number of days you would be left with to take is 20 days (equivalent to 4 weeks) per year.

Let’s have a look at it broken down in a bit more detail:

·        The legal minimum for paid leave is 5.6 weeks. 

·        For a 5 day working week (typically those working full time) this translates to 28 days of paid leave. 

·        If you work part time, you are also entitled to the same 5.6 weeks of paid leave per year, however this is then pro-rated, based upon your working hours. 

·        Employers can choose to include bank holidays as part of the 28 days, or they can offer them on top of the statutory. 

In England & Wales, we usually have 8 Bank Holidays per year.

Whilst this is the minimum entitlement, some employers out there will offer more than the statutory per year, e.g. your birthday as an additional day’s paid holiday, or you may even have a chance to build on your statutory entitlement, the longer you work for an employer, e.g. with every completed year you work, you gain an extra full days paid leave.

It is always advised when starting a job, to make sure you’re clear on what your holiday entitlement will be and if this is likely to change moving forward, so you’re aware from the beginning where you stand with your holidays.

It can be quite common when people do have time off work, that the break gives them time to reflect on things and changes they may wish to make – more specifically changing their current job.

Sometimes it’s the hours of work, duties or working environment that can be evaluated over this time and depending on the opportunities and flexibility available can prompt people to decide on embarking on a new career or looking for a better work life balance.