ADVISORY,
CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION SERVICE News Release issued by The
Government News Network on 1 October 2007
With holiday
entitlements to increase by four days from 1 October 2007,
employment relations service Acas has launched a new guide
offering free advice to help employers introduce the changes.
Research undertaken in a survey last year showed that 63% of UK
managers were not using their full holiday entitlement and that
almost half were losing up to two weeks holiday because they fail
to book the time off. As a result, Acas is urging employers and
employees to make the most of the changes.
The Acas guide Holidays and holiday pay is available free online
to businesses and employees at http://www.acas.org.uk. The
guide offers free advice on holiday rights for full and part-time
workers and guidance on how to calculate holiday pay.
The amendments mean that employers may have to take some of the
following actions:
* Recalculate new entitlement for part-time and full-time
employees
* Inform all employees in writing of the increased
entitlement from 1 October
* Ensure that all new written
statements of employment feature the updated holiday and holiday
pay entitlements.
Susan Clews, Acas Director commented: "With recent changes
to holiday entitlement coming into play, this new guide will help
employees calculate what they are entitled to and will help
employers understand precisely what they should be providing.
"This will ensure that workers make the most of their
holiday entitlement and help businesses - particularly smaller
ones - plan effectively for periods when employees are away."
Statutory holiday entitlement increases to 4.8 weeks (24 days if
you work a five day week) from 1 October 2007 and to 5.6 weeks (28
days if you work a five day week) from 1 April 2009.
Employers or employees who need further help can call the Acas
helpline on 08457 47 47 47 for free confidential advice or book
online for one of Acas' training courses, available
throughout Britain.
Notes to editors:
1 Acas' aim is to improve organisations and working life
through better employment relations. It provides information,
advice, training and a range of services working with employers
and employees to prevent or resolve problems and improve
performance. It is an independent statutory body governed by a
Council consisting of the Acas Chair and employer, trade union and
independent members.
2 Copies of the Acas guidance can be downloaded free of charge
from the Acas website (http://www.acas.org.uk) or from
the publications orderline on 08702 42 90 90.
Research:
* Undertaken by Chartered Management Institute
(CMI) in 2006 when 553 UK executives were questioned
Acas National
Brandon House, 180 Borough High Street, London
SE1 1LW
http://www.acas.org.uk