Holiday pay for zero hours workers

[Mysonwontwash]

hello, does anyone know what the rights are for zero hours employees who work irregular hours. My employer refused my accrued holiday request in march as I only worked 8 days over weekends that month.
Apparently, I could only take it on days that I would have usually worked.
My availability changes throughout the year as I am a student so many months I worked 4-6 days a week over the year. I have now lost the holiday as they have a use it or lose it policy and denied my holiday in the last tax month. Well, actually they didn’t deny, they just ignored my request with no real explanation.

You need to talk to ACAS asap as they can’t refuse it, let you lose it and not pay. You also need to find the annual leave policy to understand how the leave rules work.

If you took less than 20 days pro rata, including paid bank holidays, they are breaching the WTR. Working Time Regs.

They can't do that. It is illegal.

Many employers pay holiday pay to zero hours workers as you can’t really take holiday from a job you are not contracted to work particular hours in. You just say you aren’t available when you don’t want to or can’t work.

So I would ask for the pay in lieu of being able to take the time they owe you and tell them you’re contacting ACAS if they don’t pay up. Should be 12.07% of your earnings.

I am on a zero hours contract and get paid holiday pay as a supplement to my hourly pay. I don’t get paid if I am not at work.
Your contract sounds a bit odd, as it doesn’t sound like a proper zero hours contract.

Find your contract and check the details carefully

https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights

You are still entitled to holidays and holiday pay

They have to give you the opportunity to take the holiday or pay it in lieu. They can’t make you lose it.
Contact ACAS on Tuesday

They have to either pay you or let you take that holiday. If they did neither contact the union

Thanks for the replies. We have a meeting next week so I wanted to bring it up. I just wasn’t sure if I am entitled to less than 28 days as I reduced my hours. My payslip states 28 days at the beginning of the tax year and deducts what we use. I had 6 days remaining.
It’s not a lot of money but I’m not the only person who was denied their holiday so they’ve saved themselves quite a bit by doing this.

If you reduced your hours then your entitlement will have been pro rataed down from the date you reduced your hours.