Holiday Pay

Yes, you should be paid while you are on holiday. Anyone who has been with their employer for at least three months is entitled to four weeks' paid leave a year.

After union campaigning, the government agreed that it was unfair that mean employers counted bank holidays against the European minimum of four weeks paid holiday. 

But they have closed this loophole by increasing your minimum legal holiday entitlement. From October 1 2007 a full time worker gained an extra four days holiday, and in April 2009 a full timer will gain a further four days.

If you work part time you should get four times what you work on average each week. For example if you work three days a week then you should get twelve days' holiday.

If you work regular hours for a regular week's pay, then you should be paid the same for a week's holiday.

If your weekly pay varies then you should get the average you earned over the last 12 weeks. This includes shift pay, commission and bonuses. Overtime is also included if you have to do it every week and it is written into your contract.

And if your employment ends, you should be paid for the leave you are due and have not taken.

links

• ACAS
  www.acas.org.uk/rights/pay.html