It has been announced that Monday 19 September 2022, the date of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral, will be a national bank holiday to allow individuals and businesses to pay their respects. But what does this mean for you?
As a practice owner or manager, you can choose whether or not to close your doors on this day – it’s your decision whether or not your staff come into work, as there is no statutory entitlement to time off for bank holidays.
Schools will be closed on this day, so if you choose to remain open, some employees may request the day off for childcare purposes. Either this or they may wish to take the day off to mourn the Queen’s death. Bear in mind staff morale and mental health when dealing with these circumstances, and act sensitively and flexibly wherever possible.
If your business will be closed on 19th September, you may be unsure whether you need to pay your employees on this day. You might also be wondering whether they will receive an additional day’s annual leave to cover this.
The answers to these questions will depend on the wording of your employees’ contracts. Look to see whether bank holidays are accounted for within their annual leave entitlement – if not, you are not obliged to offer them a paid day’s leave.
If you have any queries or concerns about this topic, please speak to HR and employment law expert, Sarah Buxton.
Author: Densura
