This week there was an historic ruling that workers in the UK are entitled to have overtime and other payments included in their holiday pay calculations.
The ruling attracted much media attention.
It was a great win for workers – however the Government rushed into setting up a task force to look at how to limit the impact of the ruling and some employers and employers bodies warned of the end of civilisation as we know it, calling it a ‘nightmare’ and predicting bankruptcies and lay-offs.
It is worth remembering employers some did the same with the introduction of the national minimum wage and increased holidays emanating from the EU.
Other employers and employers bodies have taken the decision in their stride and said that they will comply with the ruling and get on with it and work with unions on the issue.
Howard Beckett, the legal director for Unite explained that the ruling by the employment appeal tribunal to include overtime in holiday pay will not open the floodgates to historic payments.
The ruling comes after some workers who are contractually obliged to work overtime were receiving less than their normal wage in holiday pay.
