Nearly 2 million workers in the UK are being denied their full paid holiday entitlement, according to the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The union’s analysis of labour force survey data, released today (July 22), also shows that more than 1.1million workers did not get any paid leave at all last year.
Unrealistic workloads are among the main reasons 1.96 million workers missed out their legal minimum paid holiday entitlement in 2018, the TUC says.
Other factors include employers not keeping up to date on the law, deliberately denying holiday requests and “managing out” people’s leave.
Women are disproportionately affected – with 8.3 percent missing out, compared to 5.3 percent of men.
“Employers have no excuse for robbing staff of their leave,” said TUC London regional secretary Sam Gurney. “British workers put in billions of pounds worth of unpaid overtime as it is.”
More than five million UK workers put in a total 2bn unpaid hours in 2018 – totalling more than £32bn in unpaid overtime, the union estimates.
Breaking Down The Data
Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of its workers missing out on holiday pay (9.5 percent), followed by the east of England (7.7 percent) and London (7.5 percent).
The north west of England has the lowest proportion of workers getting short changed at 5.6 percent.
‘Vital To Reducing Overwork’
One of the main reasons workers are unable to take their full paid holiday entitlement is because employers are setting unrealistic workloads, the TUC says. Image Credit: Unsplash.
Minimum holiday entitlements are a vital part of reducing overwork, says the TUC.
The government must toughen up enforcement to stop bosses cheating working people out of their holidays.
TUC London regional secretary Sam Gurney
People who work excessive hours are at risk of developing heart disease, stress, mental illness, strokes, and diabetes, which also impacts on co-workers, friends, and relatives.
“Every worker deserves a break to spend time off with friends and family. But millions are missing out on the paid leave they are owed,” Mr Gurney added.
“The government must toughen up enforcement to stop bosses cheating working people out of their holidays.
“And ministers must not resurrect tribunal fees which stopped people enforcing their rights.”
