Is another UK bank holiday a smart decision?

The UK only gets eight public holidays per year. Most of our European neighbours have as many as 12. The Spanish top the tables with a massive 16 Bank Holidays a year.

Brits are at the bottom of the Bank Holiday league with only the Romanians ranking below us.

There are 121 days between the last Bank Holiday in August and the next public holiday at Christmas ñ nearly a third of the year!

Helen Stacey of Smart Recruitment believes we have to balance the issue of bank holidays with the costs to business, which could be anywhere from 2 billion to 6 billion a day.*

ìI am convinced that an extra bank holiday would of course motivate candidates. But with the new statutory holiday entitlement being increased from 24 to 28 days over the next year, many workers will see a big improvement in holiday entitlement without the addition of another bank holiday.î

In 2007 the Working Time (Amendment) Regulations increased the statutory holiday entitlement from 20 to 24 days. This is set to increase from 24 to 28 days on 1st April 2009.

Helen continues, ìHowever, I do think a compromise can be reached to satisfy both employers and employees by ensuring that an additional bank holiday be placed in the summer months, possibly as an extension of the existing August bank holiday, rather than in October or November as has been suggested. An additional August bank holiday would increase business for the leisure and tourism trades, which would be particularly beneficial to the South West economy.î

The government may have reservations due to the cost to business, however, the short-term costs to business may prove insignificant to the long-term costs of our health. Stress-related illness costs the UK 4.4 billion a year.**

Have your say by visiting the Smart Recruitment website at www.smartgroup.co.uk

Award winning Smart Recruitment has five high street branches in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Dorchester and Yeovil.

Smart Recruitment can be contacted on 0845 6800 800.

*Information taken from the Trade Union Council.
**Information taken from the Confederation of British Industry