Coronavirus: Your workplace questions

Hi, Can anyone help with this query? We have all staff working from home and have asked people to still take annual leave if it has been booked during this period. We have one member of staff who is 'at risk' and has been advised by GP to self isolate for 12 weeks. He had a 2 week holiday booked abroad which is being moved by the holiday company in any event so understandably he wants to cancel his two weeks holiday. We are trying to be fair to everybody and the business (as fair as you can be during this time) so don't want to make exceptions but my question is, as his GP has said he cannot go out for 12 weeks would this make him an exception and should we allow cancellation of holidays as if it was sick leave, even though he is still well and working? Thanks anyone

from acas www.acas.org.uk/.../using-holiday
Using holiday for a temporary workplace closure
Employers have the right to tell employees and workers when to take holiday if they need to.
Requiring staff to take or cancel holiday
Employers have the right to tell employees and workers when to take holiday.

An employer could, for example, shut for a week and tell everyone to use their holiday entitlement.

If the employer decides to do this, they must tell staff at least twice as many days before as the amount of days they need people to take.

For example, if they want to close for 5 days, they should tell everyone at least 10 days before.

Employers can also cancel pre-booked paid holiday. If they decide to do this, they must give staff at least the same number of days’ notice as the original holiday request.

For example, if an employee has booked 5 days holiday, the employer must tell them at least 5 days before the holiday starts that it’s cancelled.

This could affect holiday staff have already booked or planned. So employers should:

explain clearly why they need to do this
try and resolve anyone's worries about how it will affect their holiday entitlement or plans

from acas www.acas.org.uk/.../using-holiday
Using holiday for a temporary workplace closure
Employers have the right to tell employees and workers when to take holiday if they need to.
Requiring staff to take or cancel holiday
Employers have the right to tell employees and workers when to take holiday.

An employer could, for example, shut for a week and tell everyone to use their holiday entitlement.

If the employer decides to do this, they must tell staff at least twice as many days before as the amount of days they need people to take.

For example, if they want to close for 5 days, they should tell everyone at least 10 days before.

Employers can also cancel pre-booked paid holiday. If they decide to do this, they must give staff at least the same number of days’ notice as the original holiday request.

For example, if an employee has booked 5 days holiday, the employer must tell them at least 5 days before the holiday starts that it’s cancelled.

This could affect holiday staff have already booked or planned. So employers should:

explain clearly why they need to do this
try and resolve anyone's worries about how it will affect their holiday entitlement or plans