Have you been given the Christmas shift? Do you have to work it? Here is some Christmas working advice…
Nearly 2 million people work on Boxing Day, with 1 in 6 in the accommodation or food services sector, according to UK-wide figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Do I get the day off?
Any right to time off depends on the terms of the employment contract – this applies to all the eight permanent bank holidays across the year – not just Boxing Day.
But I get paid more don’t I?
Sadly, there isn’t even a right to extra pay. Whether you get ‘time and a half’ or ‘double pay’ are will depend on what an employer agreed to in the contract.
One employer is spreading the Christmas cheer – Home Bargains. The family-run discount retailer has announced 23,000 of their staff have been given an extra day off with the Boxing Day closure.
“Christmas is a significant period in the retail calendar, and with staff across the business spending months building up to the occasion every year, we wanted to give them an opportunity to relax and truly enjoy the break with their loved ones.
We also appreciate that our staff work tirelessly to keep over 500 of our stores running like clockwork, so giving everyone Boxing Day off is our way of saying thank you for their hard work and commitment.”
Tom Morris, founder and MD of Home Bargains
And yes, we are open over Christmas. If you really need some help (even on Boxing Day), you can reach us on 08000 614 631