Your clients will have already dealt with handling additional bank holidays, and the same rules should be applied to the bank holiday as for the Queen’s jubilee and then funeral last year. For the coronation itself, we set out our advice below.
Refusing annual leave on the day
Some businesses may see a spike in trade around the coronation, especially in the hospitality industry. This may mean as many staff members as possible are needed in work.
Employers can designate days on which no annual leave can be taken by giving minimum amount (the same as the number of days in question e.g. if no leave to be allowed on one day, one day’s notice). In practice, the more notice, the better.
Allowing changes to annual leave plans
Your clients may get employees asking to cancel pre-booked leave, because the coronation has changed their plans. It’s advisable to agree wherever possible but if there are business reasons which would mean that the cancellation would cause disruption e.g. if cover has already been organised and it can’t be changed, then the request can be refused and the employee will take the leave as originally planned.
Watching the coronation at work
This will depend on operational requirements. Your clients may be able to show the ceremony at work: note a TV licence registered at the workplace is needed. Employees could take longer breaks and make up time, or change their start, finish and break times (with agreement) so that they can watch it. If watching it isn’t feasible, putting the radio coverage on may be a good alternative.
Holding a coronation party for employees
Your clients might arrange a party to mark the day. Whether held outside of work time or during, your clients should be clear with employees on what their expectations are for productivity, performance and behaviour whilst still enjoying the festivities, and the potential consequences if not.
Not everyone will want to attend the party so it should be optional. If food and drink are served, a variety of options should be offered to cater for dietary requirements, for example, vegetarian, vegan and halal options. If alcohol is served, non-alcoholic drinks should be provided too.
Opening longer due to relaxing of alcohol licensing
If your clients want to take advantage of this, they will need to check employee contracts to see if they permit flexibility on working hours. If they state that employees may be required to work overtime or extra hours, or may be subject to a rota change, then it may be a reasonable instruction to require them to work extra hours. Your clients should however take individual circumstances into consideration first, like childcare issues.
Otherwise, employees could be asked if they want to work, perhaps offering enhanced pay, or extra paid time off at another time as an incentive.
Schools and childcare settings closed on the bank holiday
Employees have the right to take time off for dependants if there is an unexpected breakdown in their childcare arrangements, which can arguably include the extra bank holiday. They could take annual leave if they are scheduled to work, but if this is not possible they may have no other option but to take the day off under the statutory right.
Your client should work with the employee to find an alternative, including home working, asking employees already booked off on the day to see if they will change their plans, (although they shouldn’t be forced to) or checking if there is anyone else working on that day who could cover for the employee.
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