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I have just two employees now, but we have always run a system similar to the building industry, who have a full 2weeks off, but how many days come out of the employees allocation will vary, depending on when Christmas, Boxing and New Years Day fall.
This year we stop work, Thursday 19th, when I take the 2 guys and a couple of my retired ex employees for lunch and a few beers. This isn't out of their holiday allocation, which starts Friday 20th. We return Thursday 2nd January, which means they have taken 6 days holiday entitlement over the two weeks. I think 6 or 7 days is reasonable. Remember, you make the rules Ed.
Just moving forward from above, as we are solely garden maintenance now, we have a 'no holiday period' of April - June inc which is probably the most hectic 3 months of year and it also includes 4 bank hoidays just to make matters worse!!
Never thought about that. No holiday period is a great idea.
I've gone for nearly 2 weeks. Finish 24th. Start back 6th. This means we can visit family over new year and not stress about getting back. Also means start back on a monday. I hate starting back for a two day week.
Ed, I have recently started to employ full time now and am planning going forward - two weeks off plus stats over Christmas and the new year and one week at the end of July. That leaves my employee one week to take at his leisure the rest of the year (as long as it suits business needs).
The only time I get a proper break is over xmas and have never been that busy at the start of January at the best of times.
That's interesting Robbie. I've been thinking of an enforced summer break too. Means I get a holiday with kids and no need to worry about what's going on on site. Proposed exactly this idea this year and a week before the proposed holiday the guy who was most resistant to the idea announced he was going on holiday!! As he is self employed there was little I could do but has made me think again about the idea of a summer shutdown for 2020.
I don't have any employees, but have worked for an employer who had enforced winter and summer breaks, all the guys hated it! It seems a very Draconian practice and can appear quite subservient if you're forced to take holiday time of your bosses choosing, especially when the excuse was ' I'd prefer to be here and not let you guys out on your own!'
Needless to say, I don't work for him any longer.
I have 4 guys on PAYE, their annual entitlement is 13% of hours worked, which should calculate to around 28days inc bank holidays and meets statutory requirements.
This year we finish Friday 20th, return Monday 20th Jan. This uses 20 of their annual entitlement, and they can take the remaining 8 days at any time throughout the year.
This works well for us as the guys know they have a long spell at Christmas to spend with family etc, and I don't have the headache of working 6 hour days in shocking weather and managing customer expectations... more time to plan for the year ahead, marketing, machinery renewal etc
That sounds like a good setup
I have 4 guys who are all self employed.
Our work is grounds maintenance and mainly grass cutting so our tails off dramatically this time of year tho we do have enough work for a 2 to 4 day week all winter
We stop work this year on the 13th and go back on the 6th so a nice long break.
As a way of thanking my guys I pay a Xmas bonus to ensure they have a good Xmas which is based on hours work so ends up between £1000 to £2000 each.
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