Public sector workers do get more holiday time

Public sector workers benefit by three or four daysí more holiday each year, on average, than those in the private services sector or in manufacturing, according to research launched today by IRS Employment Review, published by LexisNexis Butterworths.

In the past, manual workers had fewer daysí paid leave than non-manual workers but this practice has almost disappeared. It has been replaced by differences in seniority and, in particular, between economic sectors. IRS also found evidence of a union holiday premium.

The survey, conducted at the end of 2004, is based on responses from 161 organisations that between them employ 167,514 people. It is available in the new edition (817) of IRS Employment Review (www.irsemploymentreview.com).

Other key points:
* Although some private sector groups, such as workers in the food, drink and tobacco and the engineering and metals sectors, closed the gap between their public sector counterparts, others clearly lag far behind ñ with those in the textile industry and in retail and wholesale companies faring worst. (See notes to editors)

* Employees from the 365 staff groups surveyed enjoy an annual basic leave entitlement averaging 24.6 days ñ continuing a slow upward trend noted in earlier IRS research. Although there is no statutory right to bank and public holidays, in practice most employers offer these as additional paid leave days.

* On average employees in workplaces where unions are recognised get 26.1 days annual leave, compared with the 22.7 on offer in non-unionised workplaces.

* Approximately one in four employers surveyed offer additional paid company days ñ usually around Christmas. Although most employers still offer additional daysí holiday to longer serving staff, this is becoming less common.

* A fifth (20%) of employers had formal arrangements to cover non-Christian holidays.

* Surveyed employers offered additional holiday entitlement according to length of service to 61% of employee groups. This shows a fall compared with IRS research of 18 months ago, when 66% of employee groups could look forward to more holidays, the longer they stayed with their employer.

IRS Employment Review managing editor, Mark Crail said:
ìOverall, the UK continues to occupy a middle ground between the business-friendly United States and the more employee-friendly parts of the European Union. However, it is interesting to see the distinct variations between industry sectors and employee groups. Our research also suggests there is a union holiday premium ñ at least in relation to basic leave entitlement, just as there is already a union pay premium.

ìAnnual leave is highly valued as an employee benefit, and organisations often seek to retain staff with the promise of more holidays for those with longer service. Given the efforts employers have put into employee retention in the tight labour market of recent years, the apparent decline in length of service holiday benefits may come as something of a surprise.

ìAs in other areas of employment legislation, senior managers must ensure that they are fully aware of workersí entitlements. With the advent of legislation dealing with discrimination on grounds of religion or belief, employers need to be sensitive to requests made by employees who want time off to mark non-Christian religious festivals.î