Annual Leave: Key Reminders for Employers in 2025
The Working Time Regulations 1998 were updated in January 2024, clarifying employer responsibilities around annual leave. Now is a good time for employers to review those changes and ensure compliance.
Employers must give staff a fair chance to take leave and encourage them to use it. If your policy doesn’t allow leave to be carried forward especially the four-week statutory minimum staff must be clearly informed. Failure to do so may result in unused leave carrying over into the next year.
A clear holiday policy is essential, but it only works if staff read and understand it. Consider reminding employees to use their annual leave within the current year, as there is still time to take it without disrupting business. Pointing them to the policy and explaining how to book leave can help.
If staff aren’t taking leave, investigate the reasons- such as workload or staff shortages- and communicate how you plan to address these. Encouraging leave supports wellbeing and helps prevent burnout, boosting morale, retention, and productivity.
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