Holiday Policy¶
FooEngine believes that regular time away from work is essential for wellbeing, performance and long-term sustainability. We encourage employees to take their full holiday entitlement each year and to plan time off in a way that supports both personal needs and business continuity.
This policy explains holiday entitlement, how to book leave, and how holidays are managed across the Company.
Holiday Entitlement¶
- Full-time employees are entitled to 20 days paid annual leave per holiday year, plus UK public holidays.
- Part-time employees receive a pro-rata entitlement based on contracted working hours.
- Holiday entitlement for new starters or leavers is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Individual employment contracts confirm exact entitlement where applicable.
Holiday Year¶
The FooEngine holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
Minimum Holiday Expectation¶
- Employees are expected to take at least 20 days of annual leave per holiday year (pro-rata for part-time staff).
- Managers may prompt employees to take holiday if insufficient leave is being used, to prevent burnout.
Booking Holiday¶
Because FooEngine operates with small, collaborative teams, planning leave in advance is important.
Employees should:
- Discuss intended leave with their line manager before booking
- Consider project schedules and team availability
- Book leave in the Company's holiday tracking system once agreed
Where possible, employees should give notice at least twice the length of the leave requested (for example, two weeks' notice for one week's leave).
We aim not to refuse holiday requests unless business needs make this unavoidable.
Public Holidays¶
UK public holidays form part of the overall holiday entitlement.
Employees may work on a public holiday if they wish, and take the day off at another time instead, subject to manager agreement.
Holiday Carry-Over¶
- Up to 5 days of unused annual leave may be carried into the next holiday year where approved in advance by a manager.
- Carried leave should normally be used within the first three months of the new holiday year.
- Statutory carry-over rights for sickness or family leave are honoured where applicable.
Borrowing Leave¶
Borrowing holiday from a future holiday year is not normally permitted, unless agreed in advance by senior management in exceptional circumstances.
Part-Time Employees and New Starters¶
- Part-time employees receive holiday entitlement pro-rata.
- New starters receive entitlement pro-rata from their start date to the end of the holiday year.
Family or Compassionate Situations¶
Short-term emergency leave for family or compassionate reasons may be granted in line with the Sickness & Return to Work Policy and Compassionate Leave guidance, and does not automatically require use of annual leave for brief one-off events.
Where extended or repeated time off is needed, this will be discussed individually.
Lieu Time¶
Where employees are required to work on a day they would not normally work (for example weekends for launches or business travel), time off in lieu may be agreed with the line manager.
Informal flexibility (starting later or finishing earlier after extended days) does not require formal tracking.
Recording Leave¶
All holiday must be:
- Approved in advance
- Recorded in the Company's holiday tracking system
- Shown in calendar out-of-office notifications
Sickness During Holiday¶
If you become unwell during booked holiday, statutory rules on reclassifying holiday as sick leave apply. Employees should notify their manager as soon as possible in such cases.
Leaving the Company¶
Unused holiday on termination of employment will be:
- Paid in lieu if accrued but untaken; or
- Deducted from final salary if excess holiday has been taken.