Holiday Entitlement.

[farmlama]

1. Are all workers entitled to the increased holidays?

Yes this is the statutory minimum required by law, this amount (5.6 weeks) started this tax year last year it was 4.8 weeks a year. your current contract is only 4 weeks a year.

2. Have I, by signing a new contract each year, unwittingly opted-out of the increased entitlement?

No if a contract of employment doesnt comply with the statutory minimum then those terms become invalid even if you hav signed and agreed to them.

3. Can these changes be enforced.

if you mean changes as in you getting 16.3 days a year then yes, if your employer refusses then they are breaking the law and you can take them to tribunal.

...can my employer then claim that Bank holidays are now included in my holiday entitlement.

No as this would be changing the terms of your contract which they can only do with your agreement if they force this then they are again breaking the law and you can take them to tribunal. The only way they can force you to chang your contract is by basically sacking you and then offering you your job back with the new contract, but you dont have to accept it and can claim unfair dismissal.

 

please note i am not a professional but hope i have helped a bit.

[farmlama]

my calculations show you should be entitled to a total of 19.6 holidays days a year (including bank holidays) each holiday day should be 10 hours pay

[farmlama]

farmlama, do you mean 19.6 PLUS bank holidays?

 

If so, could you tell me what calculations you used and where I can find this info so I can show it to my bosses? Is it the Working Time Regulations? When I did mention it to personnel before, they told me that because I only worked 4 days per week, I wasn't entitled to the minimum required as per the Working Time Regulations.

 

i meant 19.6 days including bank holidays. i worked this out by that you work on average 3.5 days a week (4 on 4 off =50%. 50% of a week = 3.5 days) and as you are entitled to 5.6 holiday weeks a year 3.5 x 5.6 = 19.6.