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A question about : Job

Hi,

I hope someone can help me. My employers sent an email to the staff saying that the office will be shutting on Christmas Eve (it was originally meant to be a workday).

They then asked all of the staff to either take that as annual leave (the majority of us have not got any left) or to work in our lunch break to make up time (7 hours in total).

As the office is closed (rather than us choosing not to work) is this legal?

I hope that I have made sense. If you need anymore info, let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Best answers:

• Yes, if it was a work day and they're closing, iwould have thought that it was reasonable to have either a days holiday, or make it up at lunchtime. I would do the lunchtimes!
• My husband's place of work closes at Christmas every year and they have to take annual leave. He has to take 4 days this year so that he's off 24th Dec til 2nd Jan.
• Think carefully about what you want from this. Do you really want to have to go in and work (and bear in mind if this gets changed you will be under the screw on the 24th!) on one odd day before Christmas right up to 5pm rather than clocking off on the 21st and having the best part of a week and a half off to totally unwind? Because if you kick back against this that is likely to be the outcome - you will absolutely not get an extra days free holiday!
  To me the employer has been fairly sensible - no-one will want to be working full on on that day, so allowing staff to get work done in advance by working lunchhours gives those with no leave left the chance to have this longer break as well as no doubt enabling the employer to avoid an unproductive day on the 24th and save a few quid on heating costs etc.
  The other question is what is so important about lunchhours that you can't/won't give up a few as a form of flexi time to build up this holiday - if this was my employer I'd be laughing as half the time I don't get round to taking lunchhours anyway and it would just be extra holiday! Even on days I do take a break its generally just aimlessly wandering around the town centre trying not to waste money on tat I don't need!
• Another thread where a relatively new poster comes to this board seeking CAB advice and getting replies from well meaning ordinary MSErs who have no connection at all with the CAB. Sorry but I think this experiment is a shambles!
  OP the CAB have committed to replying to questions on this board within 48 hours on working days. That means it could be the middle of next week before you get a reply. I suggest that you go over to the employment board for advice and information.
  Dx
• it is not reasonable, no, but would be worth the pain ????(speaking as a FTer who has had ten lunchbreaks all year max)
  i think the two day rule for cab seems to work when you post on the relevant thread, although happy to be incorrect on that
• It can be done but only as long as the lunch break isn't the OPs only break of the day. If it is the only break then stopping it would be unlawful.