Take your holiday or leave it

In a decision that will cheer even the most hardened HR Manager or business owner, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has held in Lyons v Mitie Security Ltd that annual leave not taken close to the end of the leave year can be lost by an employee, as long as the employer has made provision to deny unreasonable requests for leave within its procedures and conditions.

Employers can therefore legitimately turn down year-end requests to take annual leave if the request does not suit their business requirements. Prudent employers will make sure that their employees are aware of the requirement to take their leave during the holiday year in question and the risk of losing it if they do not.