What is annual leave?
Your HR Glossary questions, answered
Annual leave is a mandated entitlement to a set amount of paid time off that an employee takes away from work each year. Annual leave may be used for rest, holiday, or personal reasons.
In the UK, the statutory entitlement is a minimum of 5.6 weeks (28 days for a five day week) for most workers, which includes public holidays. Holiday entitlements vary around the world, with some countries mandating much more or much less than the UK. You can visit our Global Compliance Hub to learn more about holiday entitlements around the world.
Employers can choose to offer more than the minimum allowance (and many do) as a way of attracting and retaining employees.
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