Forced holiday over Xmas

[SpontaneousOrder]

I know they say non-essential staff but I don't know of any permies who are forced to take the two weeks off. I'm not sure it would be allowed to force permies to take two weeks of their holiday entitlement at that time of year.

It would be allowed. My father's employer closes down the entire factory for 2 weeks.

[SpontaneousOrder]

Sounds like a gr8 reason to work for them....

Ugh... sounds like a nightmare. That's 3 weeks of summer I'd have to work in order to compensate for those 3 weeks of winter.

[Elliegirl]

Got to laugh my mammary glands off at contractors who get indignant at being made to take 2 weeks off at Christmas (seriously, who wants to work at Christmas unless its to be paid for doing nowt?) but then get all arsey when client say no to leave at important points in a project.

Myself, I always took time off from around 19 \ 20 December to 5 \ 6 January but then again, I never took time off during contracts.

Seconded. Now I wouldn't dream of working around that time!

[darrylmg]

Seconded. Now I wouldn't dream of working around that time!

Exactly.
I worked last Christmas so I could take this one off!

[northernladuk]

I know they say non-essential staff but I don't know of any permies who are forced to take the two weeks off. I'm not sure it would be allowed to force permies to take two weeks of their holiday entitlement at that time of year.

In many companies it is mandatory to take 3 or 4 days off in between. There are bank holidays and weekends so it isn't losing two weeks of holiday entitlement.

[acnm]

The reason this surprised me is that I have worked every Xmas for the last 15 years or so and have never been obligated to take time off - not even with the banks.

I have also never had a break between contracts unless I requested it, nor have I had a contract which started on a date later than the agreed one.

Maybe I've been lucky?

I tend to plan way ahead and take my holidays in the summer like most people. The only time off I had that wasn't planned was for sickness or bereavement. Hence my surprise this time round.

[oliverson]

The reason this surprised me is that I have worked every Xmas for the last 15 years or so and have never been obligated to take time off - not even with the banks.

I have also never had a break between contracts unless I requested it, nor have I had a contract which started on a date later than the agreed one.

Maybe I've been lucky?

I tend to plan way ahead and take my holidays in the summer like most people. The only time off I had that wasn't planned was for sickness or bereavement. Hence my surprise this time round.

Never been forced to take Xmas off in my 10 years contracting. I actually don't mind 'working' it as it's usually quiet, most places let you finish mid/early afternoon and the trains are more or less empty. My only gripe is that there's no warm food in the 1st class over this period :-(

[Batcher]

In many companies it is mandatory to take 3 or 4 days off in between. There are bank holidays and weekends so it isn't losing two weeks of holiday entitlement.

Fair enough. I suppose I've only contracted mainly in big Finance and Utilities companies and they are open most of the year so the only ones forced to take the break seem to be contractors.

[MrMarkyMark]

Irrelevant. It's just professional courtesy to adhere to clients wishes and business processes regarding time off. Makes no difference to IR35.

Completely untrue I'm afraid.
I know someone whose LTD was investigated for IR35 and the key thing that got them off was the enforced furloughs that he had in the 5 years contracting there.

[TykeMerc]

This year is the first time I can recall, in 20+ years contracting, being told in advance all contractors must take the time off.

That being said I had intended to take the time off anyway, so it's no skin off my nose and it's time I take off if I can