Christmas Leave: An Employment Guide
Ho Ho Ho – Christmas is on its way!
Too early to mention it? Maybe, but it’s definitely time to start thinking about how you’ll manage your team’s Christmas leave. The festive season brings unique challenges for employers, particularly when it comes to handling leave requests and keeping operations running smoothly.
At The HR Consultants, we know a bit of early planning can go a long way in ensuring everyone knows what to expect, keeping the holiday spirit alive while meeting business needs.
By getting ahead of the festive rush, you can ensure that both your team’s well-being and the demands of the business are well-balanced.
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Managing Annual Leave at Christmas
The Christmas period is a particularly busy time for many businesses, making it essential to manage annual leave effectively.
With Christmas bank holidays, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, falling on certain dates each year, it’s important to plan holiday entitlement well in advance.
Ensuring that holiday requests are handled fairly and that employees are aware of the available paid holiday days during the festive period can help maintain smooth operations and keep the holiday spirit alive.
Bank Holidays
In 2024, Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on weekdays, so the bank holidays are as follows:
- Wednesday 25th December – Christmas Day
- Thursday 26th December – Boxing Day
- Wednesday 1st January – New Year’s Day
Working Days
Outside of the Bank Holidays, Friday 27th December through to Tuesday 31st December are considered normal working days. Your team will need to book these 3 days out of their usual holiday entitlement if they want to take the entire Christmas break off work.
Of course, if any of these public holidays are normally non-working days for part-time members of your team, they won’t need to book those particular days off—more on that later.
Compulsory Shut Down
Whether you’re a small business or have a large organisation, many choose to shut down operations over the Christmas break, which can be a welcome benefit for employees who appreciate the time off during the festive season.
The decision to close, however, depends on the nature of your business and the timing of your busiest and slowest periods.
It’s important to consider a few factors before deciding to close. For instance, if you have a diverse workplace, some employees may not celebrate Christmas or might prefer to take their holiday at another time.
Additionally, while the days between Christmas and New Year are often less productive, it’s vital to assess whether closing during this busy period aligns with your business needs.
Communicating with the Team
If your business plans to close during the festive period and you expect employees to reserve part of their holiday entitlement for this time, it’s essential to include this requirement in your employment contracts, employee handbooks, annual leave dates, and holiday policies.
In cases where your documentation doesn’t specify the need to save holiday days for such closures, you are legally required to provide notice to your employees that is double the length of the time off you’re asking them to take.
For instance, if you require them to take 3 days of leave, you must give them at least 6 days’ notice.
The best approach is to be proactive and communicate with your team early in the year. Let them know how many days they need to reserve and which specific dates they will need to book off during the Christmas period.
Part-Time Workers
Calculating bank holiday entitlement for your part-time or variable-hours team members can sometimes feel complex. Each employee’s working pattern is unique, and ensuring that everyone receives their fair share of time off can be a challenging task.
It’s important to remember that part-time and variable-hours employees must be treated fairly and equitably. They are entitled to the same pro-rata allocation of annual leave, including bank holidays, as their full-time or fixed-hours colleagues.
This means carefully adjusting their holiday pay and entitlement based on the hours they work compared to full-time staff, ensuring consistency across the board.
Implementing a clear and fair system for calculating and communicating these entitlements is essential. By doing so, you can avoid potential misunderstandings.
Managing Christmas Leave with Ease
It can help to have a system in place, such as BreatheHR (which we offer access to as part of our retained packages).
This system can help you calculate and manage holiday entitlement for all members of your team, as well as enable you to manage requests and track that your staff are using their entitlement throughout the year.
Need HR Help?
If you need assistance in updating your employee documentation, especially with the Christmas leave period approaching, we’re here to help.
Ensuring your policies are clear and compliant can make managing the holiday period much smoother for everyone involved.
Whether you’re interested in our retained services or want to explore our HR system offerings, feel free to reach out. We’d love to support you in making this festive season as stress-free as possible for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about managing Christmas leave and how to handle holiday requests effectively during the festive period.
Are employees entitled to time off during Christmas?
Employees are entitled to take annual leave during the Christmas period, but it’s subject to approval by their employer. While some employers may close for the festive period, this is not a legal requirement, and any time off must be agreed upon and taken from the employee’s holiday entitlement. Employers should clearly communicate their policies regarding Christmas leave well in advance to avoid any confusion.
How should part-time employees manage their bank holiday entitlement during Christmas?
Part-time employees are entitled to a pro-rata allocation of bank holidays, including those during the Christmas period. Employers should calculate this entitlement fairly, ensuring part-time staff receive the same proportion of paid time off as full-time employees. Using a reliable HR system can help ensure that these calculations are accurate and easy to manage.
What is the best way to manage holiday requests during the Christmas period?
Managing holiday requests during the Christmas period requires clear communication and early planning. Employers should inform staff of any compulsory shutdown periods and encourage them to submit their holiday requests as early as possible. To ensure a smooth process and maintain productivity, consider using us. We have services that can help manage your holiday planning and employee documentation efficiently.