There will be another extra bank holiday to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III in May. In this guide, we will explore FAQs about how the extra bank holiday may impact employers and how to prepare.
Do we get an extra bank holiday for the Coronation?
Yes, to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on Saturday 6th May, an extra bank holiday will take place on Monday the 8th May. However, this does not mean employees are automatically entitled to paid time off for this day.
Are employees entitled to the extra bank holiday?
There is no statutory right to paid time off on 8th May or on any other bank holiday. Instead, there is a legal right to a minimum of 5.6 weeks leave per year, which may or may not include bank holidays
However, employees may have a contractual right to paid time off on the Coronation bank holiday. This will depend upon the wording of the contract of employment.
For example, if the contract states that the employee will be entitled to ‘X days annual leave plus bank holidays’, then there would be an entitlement to an extra bank holiday.
However, if the wording of the contract states ‘X days annual leave plus eight bank holidays’ (or ‘plus nine bank holidays’ for Scotland), or, ‘ X days annual leave including public holidays’ for example, this would not provide a contractual right to the extra bank holiday for the Coronation.
Where there is no contractual entitlement to the extra bank holiday, employers can expect their employees to work on 8th May assuming the bank holiday falls on a normal day of work for the employee.
Are employees entitled to extra pay if they work on the Coronation bank holiday?
Again, this will depend upon the wording of the contract of employment. If the contract states that the employee is entitled to an extra payment when working on public holidays, then the employee should receive the higher payment if they work on 8th May. If the contract of employment does not specify an additional payment, then there is no legal requirement to pay employees extra.
For further advice, please contact us on 0330 223 5253 or office@fitzgeraldhr.co.uk.
What do employers need to do to prepare for the extra bank holiday?
Here are some practical tips for employers to help prepare for the Coronation bank holiday:
Assess the impact of the extra bank holiday and plan your resources
Employers should carefully assess the impact the extra bank holiday may have on their business, and plan their resources accordingly. Depending on the industry and the nature of the business, early May may be a busy trading period.
Many employers will see an increase in annual leave requests, and potentially sickness absence and/or unauthorised absence.
Determine employees’ contractual rights
As explained above, there is no statutory right to paid time off for the Coronation bank holiday. However, the wording of the employment agreement will mean that some employees have a contractual entitlement to paid time off or enhanced pay for working. Employers should review their contracts of employment to determine employees’ contractual rights.
Where no contractual entitlement exists, employers may still choose to grant an extra bank holiday as a goodwill gesture. This could be a good way of lifting employee morale. If it’s not possible to grant leave to all employees on 8th May, those employees that work could be offered an additional day’s leave to take at a later date.
Understandably, many employers may not be able to afford the financial burden of offering an extra bank holiday if they are not required to do so, especially during the current economic challenges around the cost of living. As an alternative, employees could be given the option of booking 8th May off work using their annual leave entitlement or taking unpaid leave.
Communicate with staff
To avoid confusion, it is important to communicate with employees about the arrangements for the Coronation bank holiday as soon as possible. This is particularly important if employees are expected to work, as there could be an assumption of paid time off. The communication will ideally take place in person, which enables employees to ask questions. The conversation should be summarised in writing to ensure everyone has access to the relevant information. For example, an email could be sent to all employees outlining the arrangements for 8th May, and the process and deadline for submitting leave requests.
Decide on a fair process for allocating annual leave
Employers are likely to receive a high number of annual leave requests either for 8th May itself, or for the days immediately before and after. Employers should have a process in place to manage leave requests which is fair, consistent and has been clearly communicated to employees. Employers must also ensure that the process does not discriminate against part timers, which could risk legal action.
What can we do to help?
If you would like advice on the Coronation bank holiday, please contact our team on 0330 223 5253 or office@fitzgeraldhr.co.uk. We would be delighted to help you.
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