All work and no play – TipTopJob survey shows UK workers forfeit holidays to keep jobs

Research by TipTopJob has shown that although UK workers are getting more holiday entitlement, the current economic situation precludes them from taking it. In the UK from the 1 April 2009, the minimum statutory holiday entitlement of 4.8 weeks is due to increase to 5.6 weeks.

The Government believes that by increasing paid holiday entitlement, staff will be given the extra help to manage their work with other responsibilities. They believe that this will help reduce stress levels and stress-related illness and help to develop family cohesion, as well as reinforcing the ethos of a good work-life balance. However, as the recession continues to bite and jobs in the UK become more precarious, the legislation may not have the desired effect.

Survey results produced by TipTopJob.com, one of the top online job portals where you can search for jobs across a wide range of industries, reveal that many workers have been forfeiting their holiday entitlement as a result of the rising recession.

Jobs in UK under threat from recession

Across all sectors, from accounting and finance to construction and IT, over 65% of all workers who took the survey admitted to forfeiting part of their holiday entitlement over recent months, and many do not seem optimistic that this change in legislation will alter the status quo as long as jobs in the UK are threatened by the economic downturn.

Corrine Dauncey, Careers Expert from TipTopJob.com, says: "By simply increasing holiday entitlement, the government believes that workers will be able to enjoy more time off. However, our survey reveals that it doesn't matter how many holiday days are available, when it comes to doing what has to be done, staff are losing out.

"As no company can afford to let work slide at present, staff are having to forfeit their holiday rights in order to maintain their current position."

With so many jobs in the UK currently under threat and workers being prepared to make significant personal sacrifices to demonstrate their commitment to their employers, it is difficult to see how the new legislation can be enforced.

Tip Top Job is an international jobs board that covers every area of today's job market. With a focus on UK vacancies, Tip Top Job allows users to search jobs quickly and easily according to their needs, skills and requirements.

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Issued by: TipTopJob
Contact email: marketing@tiptopjob.com
Website: www.tiptopjob.com