Agenda 2013: Bank holidays and religious festivals

The XpertHR quick reference section provides a full list of bank and public holidays in the UK and highlights some of the commonly celebrated religious festivals and anniversaries during 2013. 

• Bank and public holidays 2013 (England and Wales)
• Bank and public holidays 2013 (Northern Ireland)
• Statutory bank holidays 2013 (Scotland)
• Chinese religious festivals and anniversaries 2013
• Christian religious festivals and anniversaries 2013
• Hindu religious festivals and anniversaries 2013
• Islamic religious festivals and anniversaries 2013
• Jewish religious festivals and anniversaries 2013
• Sikh religious festivals and anniversaries 2013

Also

XpertHR's FAQs section on bank holidays answers the following commonly asked questions:

• Are employees entitled to time off for bank holidays in addition to the statutory minimum annual leave entitlement of 5.6 weeks?
• Can employees be required to work on bank holidays?
• Is an employee who is required to work on bank holidays entitled to extra pay?
• Are part-time workers entitled to bank holidays?

XpertHR's line manager briefing on annual leave aims to help line managers to understand the laws on holiday entitlement and holiday pay, including bank and public holidays and the notice requirements for taking leave. 

XpertHR's FAQs section on religion or belief discrimination answers the following commonly asked questions:

• Should employees who practise faiths other than Christianity be given additional annual leave to enable them to celebrate religious festivals?
• Should employees who practise religions other than Christianity be given additional time off in lieu where a bank holiday is aligned to a Christian festival such as Easter?
• Can Christian employees refuse to work on the bank holidays that are aligned to a Christian festival such as Easter?

The XpertHR good practice guide on religion and belief includes guidance on employee requests for time off for religious observation.