Holidays
The Annual Leave provisions for all employees are covered by the National Agreement on pay and conditions for Local Government Services together with any local agreements reached through negotiations with recognised trade unions for collective bargaining purposes for your employment group.
Continuous Service
For the purpose of assessing continuous service, all service with a previous public authority which is recognised as a continuous service employer within the national agreement for your employment group, shall be aggregated at full rate. In addition, service with a Health Authority will also be recognised as a continuous service employer for the purposes of calculating annual leave and sickness entitlement. Those employed from within the local government service will not be entitled to untaken leave accrued with the employee’s previous authority.
When you start at the Council
If you start part way through a holiday year, you will be entitled to a proportion of your annual leave and any bank holiday (pro rata where necessary) that fall during their remaining leave year.
When you leave the Council
If you leave the Council part way through a holiday year, you will be entitled to any accrued annual leave up until the date of termination. You should arrange to take this holiday before your last day. Payment in lieu of holidays will only be made in very exceptional circumstances (usually no more than 5 days FTE – 37 hours). There is no right to payment for accrued flexi-time on termination of employment with the Authority.
If you have taken more holiday or flexi-time than you are entitled to, we will reclaim this from your final salary payment.
Annual Leave Entitlement
The holiday year runs from 1 September to 31 August for all employees.
Annual leave entitlement (including public holidays) is pro-rata for part time employees.
Full-time employees:
| Less than 5 years continuous Local Government Service | 199.8 hours | 27 days |
| Over 5 years continuous Local Government Service | 229.0 hours | 31 days |
| After 15 but less than 20 years continuous Local Government Service | 236.4 hours | 32 days |
| After 20 but less than 25 years continuous Local Government Service | 244.2 hours | 33 days |
| After 25 but less than 30 years continuous Local Government Service | 251.6 hours | 34 days |
| After 30 but less than 35 years continuous Local Government Service | 259.0 hours | 35 days |
| After 35 but less than 40 years continuous Local Government Service | 266.4 hours | 36 days |
| After 40 but less than 45 years continuous Local Government Service | 273.8 hours | 37 days |
The above includes 3 fixed annual leave days (22.2 hrs FTE) that must be taken as designated by the Council during the Christmas and New Year Holiday period unless informed otherwise.
Term-time only staff
Many support staff in schools have a pattern of working based around term time. For these employees, annual and public holiday entitlements are incorporated into their pay.
Relief Workers
Holiday pay for relief workers will be calculated in arrears on a monthly basis.
Public Holidays
In addition to annual holiday all employees get 8 days public holidays each year. These relate to the following days:
| New Year’s Day | 1 |
| Good Friday, Easter Monday | 2 |
| May Day | 1 |
| Spring Holiday Monday | 1 |
| August Holiday Monday | 1 |
| Christmas Day, Boxing Day | 2 |
If you are part-time your public holiday entitlement will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Taking holidays
Annual leave must be agreed with your line manager before you take it.
All requests for annual leave should be submitted in all but exceptional cases via CERi Self Service.
Please ensure that authorisation is given before arranging holidays as leave requests may not always be accommodated due to the needs of the service. Managers may determine holiday rotas to ensure that sufficient employees are available to deliver appropriate levels of service.
Some employees working term time have their holidays incorporated into their pay.
For guidance on submitting a request for annual leave via CERi Self Service please refer to Ceri Knowledgebase.
Carry Leave Forward
You must take at least 28 days holiday (including public holidays) (207.2 hours) each year. This is a legal requirement. The 28 days includes public holidays. You can automatically carry forward up to 5 days FTE (37 hours) of your entitlement into the next annual leave year. This figure is pro-rata for part time employees.
If, in exceptional circumstances, you wish to carry forward in excess of 5 days FTE (37 hours) applications must be made to the Head of Service. Please complete the following template and forward applications that have been approved to the Human Resources Team. The Ceri leave system will then be adjusted accordingly.
Carry over of annual leave form
There are no arrangements for payment in lieu of holidays apart from on termination of employment with the Authority.
Managers will regularly monitor the holiday carry forward across their service to make sure that all employees are taking the statutory minimum 28 days (FTE) holiday a year.
Annual Leave and Holiday Pay Policy
For further information on Holidays including annual leave whilst suspended, on maternity leave, sickness leave etc. please see the Annual Leave and Holiday Pay Policy.