Jubilee day

The Queen's golden jubilee has been declared as an extra bank holiday on Monday 3 June, but this does not necessarily bring with it an automatic right to time off. Advisory service ACAS has received many calls on this issue and is advising workers to check their contracts.

If the contract says employees get all bank holidays as paid leave in addition to their holiday entitlement, then 3 June is an extra day off, ACAS says. However, where it refers to "eight" bank holidays as paid leave in addition to other holiday entitlement, or a certain number of days holiday "including" bank holidays, there could be uncertainty and confusion. Chief executive John Taylor said many employers were making it clear that their employees will be getting a day off, but urged others to "sort out the position for their staff now and let them know."

In collectively organised workplaces, this may well have already been sorted out through negotiation. The Footwear NJC agreement in January provided for one additional day's holiday for the jubilee, while chemical workers at Degussa in Knottingly, who work a 365- day annualised hours shift pattern, voted earlier this year for a 0.3% uplift in pay (0.1% for day workers) for working normally on 3 June. This is a permanent increase, and was added to their 2.6% wage award.

Employment Appeal Tribunal cases can be viewed at www.employmentappeals.gov.uk

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