We have recieved many queries about annual leave entitlements following implementation of the 37.5 hour week.
Annual Leave Entitlements Following Implementation of 37.5 Hour Week.
Despite much speculation and apparent scare mongering we can confirm the 37.5 hour week will not result in any reduction in the annual leave entitlement for nurses.
Nursing annual leave is allotted in days. Following the 1999 strike, nurses were allowed an increased annual leave entitlement resulting in:
Staff Nurses:
0 to 5 years service 24 days
5 to 10 years service 25 days
More than 10 years service 27 days
All Other Promoted Nursing Grades:
0 to 5 years service 25 days
5 to 10 years service 26 days
More than 10 years service 28 days.
From this it is deduced that a nurse working a 39 hour week is entitled to a set number of days off, which therefore averages out as a 7.8 hrs annual leave day.
For example a nurse is entitled to 27 annual leave days a year. The working week being 5 days out of 7, 5 days into 39 hours equals 7.8 hours.
As nurses will now be working a 37.5 hour week the average for an annual leave day is 7.5 hrs. (37.5 / 5 = 7.5)
Although 7.5 is a lower figure it just reflects a shorter working day. 37.5 hours is all that is needed to get a week off, a nurse has the same annual leave entitlement as before.
As a percentage it works the same way:
E.g. (39 hour week) A nurse with 10 years’ service, 27 days annual leave, as a % of yearly hours worked.
Based on a 39 hour week this nurse works 2028 hours in a year.
27 days annual leave x 7.8 hours = 210.6 hours.
210.6 is 9.629% of 2028.
Based on a 37.5 hour week this nurse works 1950 hours a year.
(37.5 hour week) 27 days annual leave x 7.5 = 202.5
202.5 is 9.629% of 1950.