Annual Leave Policy

Introduction

This policy outlines the guidelines, rules, and procedures for taking time off work, specifically addressing annual holiday entitlement.  It applies to all employees of Highway Data Systems Limited, irrespective of level, grade, employment status (full-time, part-time, permanent, or fixed-term), and forms a crucial part of our commitment to promoting work-life balance.

Applicability and Amendments

The Leave Entitlement policy does not form part of your contract of employment, and the Company reserves the right to amend it at any time.

Holiday Year

The Company’s holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.  Unless your contract of employment states otherwise, you are entitled to take 25 days of paid holiday in each complete holiday year, plus the usual public holidays as stated in your contract.  If you are part-time, your entitlement will be the pro rata equivalent of the above - the actual amount will be detailed in your contract of employment.  Similarly, if you are employed on a fixed term basis, your leave entitlement will be proportionate to your length of contract.

Leave Approval

All holidays must receive prior approval and authorisation from your Line Manager. No holiday should be taken without the explicit approval of the Line Manager.

Leave Request

All leave requests must be discussed initially with your Line Manager.

Once approved, the employee must apply for leave using the HR08 Annual Leave Request Form.

Notice of leave must be given at least 4 weeks before the intended start date.

For one-off ad hoc annual leave days, employees are encouraged to discuss their requests with their Line Manager as early as possible. While the Company recognises the occasional need for unplanned leave, approval will be contingent upon the needs of the business at the time of the request. The Company understands that unforeseen circumstances may arise, and the reason for the leave will be taken into consideration during the evaluation process. 

Appeal Process

In the event that an employee disagrees with decisions related to their leave, an appeals process is in place to provide a fair and transparent mechanism for resolution. 

Employees wishing to appeal a decision regarding their leave must submit a written appeal to the Human Resources Department within 5 working days, detailing the reasons for the appeal and any supporting documentation.  The Human Resources Department will conduct a thorough review of the appeal, considering all relevant information and documentation provided by the employee. Following the review and any discussions, a decision on the appeal will be communicated to the employee in a timely manner. This decision will be final, and all parties involved will be notified in writing. 

Cancellation of Leave

In the event that it becomes necessary to cancel an approved leave, the Company will provide reasonable notice to affected employees. The notice period for the cancellation of leave will be determined based on operational requirements and will be communicated by your Line Manager.

Carry Over

Employees are responsible for managing their leave within the Company's holiday year.

In exceptional circumstances, leave may be authorised to carry over to the next year, this would be an exception and not the rule.  Any requests should be put in writing and addressed to your Line Manager. The maximum carryover is limited to 5 days.

At the end of each holiday year, any unused leave will be forfeited, subject to the maximum carryover limit.

The Line Manager and HR will conduct a review of outstanding leave and address any exceptional cases.

Circumstances where carry-over leave may be granted include situations where a heavy workload has posed challenges for employees to utilize their full leave entitlement, unexpected personal circumstances, and one-off special holidays . 

Record Keeping 

Accurate records of holiday entitlement, requests, and approvals will be maintained  

Joe Charlesworth

Director - Highway Data Systems Ltd

30/11/23