Coronation equation

With an extra bank holiday for the coronation scheduled in May, what should be your stance on time off for employees? The NHBF explains

The coronation of King Charles III will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday, May 6, 2023. To commemorate the momentous occasion, the Government announced that Monday, May 8, will be an additional bank holiday throughout the UK.

Residents in the UK are being invited to hold celebratory “Big Lunch” street parties, and many salon employees may choose to take the day off to celebrate with friends and family.

Employee entitlement for bank holidays

So, what do you need to know for the extra bank holiday? In the UK, by law, full-time employees are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave. This means those who work five days a week should get at least 28 days’ paid annual leave. Employers can choose to include bank holidays as part of this 28 days’ holiday entitlement.

For example, England usually has eight bank holiday days a year, including Christmas, Easter, and the May and August bank holidays. These would be included in the total 28 days’ holiday. One thing to remember though is that employees are not legally entitled to take off public holidays (including Christmas Day) as paid leave.

Sick leave

Over-celebrating can result in absenteeism. Ensure you have clear sick leave procedures in place to avoid any confusion. The NHBF’s ready-to-use employment contracts and staff handbooks (free to NHBF members) set out what your employees should do if they cannot come to work due to illness. You should tell staff they need to:

• Call you or their manager by phone (not text) no later than 30 minutes after they should have started work.

• Let you know why they need to be off and how long they expect to be off for.

• Call each day with an update unless you have agreed otherwise.

• Complete a “self-certification” sickness absence form on their return to work.

NHBF members can access the guide to recruiting and employing people at nhbf.co.uk/advice-and-resource.

Not a member? Join the largest trade body for the hair and beauty industry. Quote PBA25 before the end of April 2023 to receive a £25 discount on your membership fee at nhbf.co.uk/join