Members are already enquiring from the Association what procedures are recommended for the Annual Holiday period in December/January.

The Association is not in a position to be prescriptive regarding this period, but provides the following information for the benefit of Members.

The minimum entitlement of employees is as follows:

1.  Every employee is entitled, under the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, to at least 21 consecutive days (i.e. 15 working days) leave of absence on full pay in respect of each period of 12 consecutive months employment.
2. In addition this leave must be extended by an extra working day on full pay for each Public Holiday which falls on what otherwise would have been a normal working day during the leave period.
3. This year there are three Public Holidays which occur in December and January which fall on normal working days, namely; Wednesday 16 December 2009, Friday 25 December 2009, Friday 1 January 2010. The total leave entitlement is therefore 15 working days.
4. This would enable enterprises to have their last working day on Tuesday, 15 December 2009 and recommence work on Monday 11 January 2010.

Bruce Lyle | Membership Services Manager