Annual Leave FAQs

What is my holiday entitlement?

The University provides 32 days annual leave (of which four are typically fixed days at Christmas and new Year) plus nine public holidays. Part time employees receive a pro-rata entitlement often expressed in hours.

I was off sick on a public holiday, do I get this back?

On receipt of a fit note, your line manager will contact College/US HR Team to reimburse your annual leave entitlement. Please note the absence can not be reimbursed without a medical fit note.

I was off sick during my holidays, do I get this back?

On receipt of a fit note, your line manager will contact College/US HR Team to reimburse your annual leave entitlement. Please note the absence can not be reimbursed without a medical fit note.

How do I book annual leave?

Annual leave can be booked online via the HR Core Self Service Portal. You can watch a guidance video here.

Once the leave request has been submitted your line manager can review and authorise this as appropriate. You will receive an automated email confirming your leave request has been approved.

If I leave and I don't use all of my holidays, will I be paid for these?

Ideally, any outstanding leave not taken should be used prior to your end date. However, if due to business demands you are not able to take all your accrued annual leave you will need to seek approval from your line manager to acquire payment.

I am contracted to work on public holidays and other days, what does this mean?

If you are contracted to work on public and other days your holiday entitlement will include the entitlement for working public and other days and this is calculated based on your work pattern and contractual requirements. Some staff are contracted to work 365 days a year whilst some are contracted to work 361 days per year. 

I am contracted to work on a public holiday what payment will I receive?

If you are contracted to work on public holiday you will receive an additional payment at plain time for the hours worked in line with your contractual hours for that day, if you work more hours than you contractual hours for that day the remaining hours will be paid at x2 (double time).

I am not contracted to work on a public holiday but have been asked to work this, what payment will I receive?

If the public holiday falls on a day you usually work you will be given the equivalent period of leave to be taken at another time agreeable to both you and your line manager. In addition, colleagues in grades 1 – 5 will qualify for enhanced payment at plain time. No enhanced payment will be due where the work takes place on an ‘other day’ as per the Annual Leave Policy.

Manager FAQs

How do I calculate my employees annual leave entitlement?

The annual leave entitlement will be automatically calculated on the HR Core System, taking into account the contract dates and work pattern/hours.

My member of staff was sick on a public holiday, do they get this time back?

If the employee has submitted a medical fit note to cover the period of absence they can request for their annual leave to be reimbursed by contact their College/US HR Team.

My member of staff was sick during their holidays, should they get this time back?

If the employee has submitted a medical fit note to cover the period of absence they can request for their annual leave to be reimbursed by contact their College/US HR Team.

How do I approve my employee's annual leave?

You can approve the annual leave request via the People XD / Core /HR System (via the manager dashboard view) further details on this can be found within the Approving Leave Requests.

I already have too many staff off on this day, do I need to approve their leave request?

Leave requests can be considered according to the organisations business needs, therefore if it is not appropriate for the individual to be on leave that day because of work commitments you can advise that the leave request cannot be approved in this instance.