The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB.
Public holidays
Not all public holidays will necessarily be included in an employee’s holiday entitlement – this will depend on the organisation’s policy on this and the needs of the business. Contracts of employment may stipulate that all bank/public holidays must be taken as part of the statutory holiday entitlement or may stipulate that only particular bank holidays should be included. There may be a contractual term or business need which requires that no bank holidays are taken as paid leave or that bank holidays are paid at an overtime rate or through a time in lieu system.
On 12 November 2020, it was announced that there would be an additional bank holiday in June 2022 to mark the Queen’s 70th year on the throne. Again, whether employees should be permitted to take this day will depend upon the terms of their contract.
Part-time workers are entitled to public holidays on a pro rata basis. If the organisation closes on a public holiday, and the pro-rata public holiday entitlement has been exhausted, the time off may be either unpaid leave or may be taken from the annual holiday entitlement depending on the contract of employment. Alternatively, an employer may request that part-time workers arrange to work on a different day than they would normally, depending on operational requirements and the employee’s terms and conditions of employment.