Back in the office after another Bank Holiday – it seems everyone works Bank Holiday nowadays – or do they?
A recent survey from the Centre for Economics and Business Research suggested that only 15% of the economy benefits on a Bank Holiday; so it appears not everyone works on a Bank Holiday.
Employers are not required by law to give you the day off, with or without pay. So if your employer’s business needs requires you to work Bank Holiday, you might not get the time off.
We find Bank Holiday and Weekend working is most prevalent in the Service, Hospitality, Retail, Business to Consumer Customer Service, Laboratory and specialist Engineering sectors. Some roles may even require you to work on a 24/7 rota. In some roles it is simply par for the course and inevitable that you will work weekends and bank holidays on a rota.
Your employment contract will state whether or not you are required to work weekends and bank holidays. Often your employer’s shift rota will work out that you will not work some Bank Holidays.
If you really do hate working on Bank Holidays, the easiest way to avoid working on them is to change jobs to one which does not require you to work those hours. Do not be tempted to just not turn up to work; nor phone in sick for your shift; as this may result in disciplinary procedures.
Of course there are benefits to working on Bank Holidays; you avoid the expensive air and train fares, long queues on the roads, mad rush in the DIY shops and even the inevitable rainy weather.
