Holiday pay claims increase since tribunal fees abolished
22 July 2019
New TUC analysis reveals that 1 in 14 workers are not getting their legal holiday entitlement, workers are missing out on £3.1bn of paid leave each year and over a million workers are getting no paid leave at all.
It is little wonder that more people are taking holiday pay claims through the courts. According to the TUC the number of people taking unpaid holiday claims has more than doubled since tribunal fees were abolished in 2017, following a legal victory by UNISON.
The majority of holiday pay cases are found in the claimant’s favour, with values ranging from £18.94 to £11,000. Most are for a few hundred pounds.
The analysis estimates that nearly two million employees (1.960 m) are not getting the minimum paid leave entitlement they are due. And over a million (1.145 m) are not getting any paid leave at all.
The TUC says the main reasons people are missing out are:
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Workers being set unrealistic workloads that do not allow time to take leave
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Employers deliberately denying holiday requests and managing out people’s leave
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Employers not keeping up to date with the law
Minimum holiday entitlements are a vital part of reducing overwork, says the TUC. 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.
The TUC wants HMRC to be granted new powers to clamp down on employers who deny staff their statutory holiday entitlement. This would include the power to ensure that workers are fully compensated for missed holidays.