United Kingdom

Intro

Attention all passengers: Thank you for choosing InterWorks for your professional journey! We understand that you have a choice when it comes to the company you work for, so we appreciate you voyaging through life with us! Of course, we also understand that while you’re here, you will require some necessary stopovers in your journey – things like vacations, family leave, scheduled holidays and just plain old days off.

In the UK, our offices are closed on the eight statutory or public bank holidays for England and Wales. All full-time and part-time employees have automatic paid time off on those days. If a UK bank holiday falls on a weekend day, we will be guided by where the government places the bank holiday, normally on the following Monday.

When you’re ready to book a break for any reason, this section will contain all the info you need to know to ensure you make the most of your time. Please note that we do encourage you to take time off! While we enjoy our time with you, it’s important to balance your work and personal lives. We’re here to support you in that regard however we can.

Holidays

Though we like to stay busy at InterWorks, there are select blackout days where InterWorks offices are closed and all InterWorks employees have automatic paid time off. Of course, if you want to SAY that you are working during these holidays to avoid uncomfortable political debates with that one unruly uncle of yours, we won’t say a word. Do note that holidays may differ from region to region.

UK Holidays (England & Wales) 2024

UK Paid Time Off PTO Policy

Annual leave, sick leave and personal days all fall under Paid Time Off (PTO). Your PTO pay is based on your pay rate in effect when your PTO is used and does not include bonuses or other special forms of compensation. Your PTO account is managed and tracked in MOAS, where you can make requests and keep track of your available PTO. Please remember that there are busy times here at InterWorks, and your request for PTO may need to be adjusted given work circumstances and client demand. It’s always best to make annual leave requests as far in advance as possible. We are generally flexible with PTO arrangements, and you should never hesitate to ask about time off when you need it.

In the UK, staff are entitled to a base of 35 working days paid holiday per annum. This is formed from the national holidays for your region and the balance as elective days of holiday. Note that if there are eight national holidays for your region, then you will receive a further 27 elective days of paid leave from the company. Holiday entitlement for the calendar year may be taken in advance of accruing it.

All employees must take their holiday entitlement between 1 January and 31 December in any year. Holiday of more than two weeks will only be approved in exceptional circumstances. Staff are allowed to carry over five days of holiday and it must be used within three months of the beginning of the new calendar year. You can request a company buyback of any unused leave so that you get cash for it rather than forfeit it. For legal reasons this only applies to any unused days over and above 20 days per year. In some very special circumstances, staff may be allowed to bring forward holiday entitlement.

For people wishing to book a holiday, an application must be submitted via MOAS, as soon as is practical but certainly no less than two weeks before the desired date. Please understand that it is not until this entitlement is approved that any holiday can be taken. There may be instances where staffing levels would be unacceptably low if all requests were granted. In most cases, permission will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Under certain circumstances, it may be possible to take additional holiday as unpaid leave. However, this can only be taken if the employee’s annual leave has been used and must be agreed to in writing by your team lead.

The Company reserves the right to deduct holiday pay paid in advance of accrual from your final salary payment upon termination of employment. The Company may require you to take all, or part, of any outstanding holiday entitlement and reserves the right not to provide you with advance notice of this requirement. The Company must reserve the right to stand by the above rules in order to maintain the efficient day-to-day running of the business.

Payment During Absence Due to Sickness

During your first six months you will be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay for any period of absence due to sickness or injury subject to meeting the required qualifying conditions. After six months you will receive 70% of your base pay for up to 90 days of qualifying sick leave.
You are not entitled to SSP if you’re away from work because any of the following apply:

You can’t claim Statutory Sick Pay for any period of illness that starts during the same time you’re entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance.

Rules for Notification of Sickness

  1. Inform your team lead by phone or Slack on the first day of absence
  2. Produce SC2 “Employee’s Statement of Sickness” for any period of sickness exceeding three days
  3. Produce a Medical Certificate for any period in excess of seven calendar days

Birthdays & Anniversaries

InterWorks likes to celebrate … a lot. We especially like to celebrate YOU. On your birthday, you may be surprised by a card and a treat. Come on, let us spoil you a little! We also like to celebrate your InterWorks “Anniversary Date.” This is the first day you report to work or the first day that you were paid by InterWorks as an employee. Certain benefits and other employment matters here are based on your Anniversary Date, so there’s especially cause to celebrate this event each year.

Parental & Other Types of Leave

Life happens, and there are several instances where traditional PTO structures don’t quite apply. We’ve tried to cover the big life events that require different leave guidelines, and you’ll find those listed below.

Maternity Leave

You will be entitled to the first eight weeks of Maternity Leave at full pay. After that, you will be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) strictly in accordance with the rules of the Department of Work and Pensions Scheme. Eligible employees can take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave. The first 26 weeks are known as “Ordinary Maternity Leave.” The last 26 weeks are known as “Additional Maternity Leave.” The earliest that leave can be taken is 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth, unless the baby is born early. Employees must take at least two weeks after the birth. SMP for eligible employees can be paid for up to 39 weeks. This will be paid at a rate of £156.66 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the remaining 31 weeks of this type of leave. (2022 to 2023 rate).

Paternity Leave

You will be entitled to a maximum of two weeks paternity leave at full pay immediately following the birth of your baby. Any further paid leave required following the birth of your baby must be taken from your annual holiday entitlement, which should be submitted and approved in the usual way.

Parental Leave

If you require unpaid leave due to family commitments, then you must give the company a minimum of 21 days’ notice. A maximum of 13 weeks can be taken over a period of five years with a maximum amount of four weeks allowed in any one year. (Please note: This only applies for a child born on or after 15th December 2001).

Compassionate Leave

In the event of certain serious circumstances, e.g. bereavement, the Company provides a maximum of three days of paid leave.

Family Crisis Leave

In the event of a family crisis concerning a dependent of an employee (i.e. a partner, child or parent of the employee, or someone who lives with the employee as part of their family), they are entitled to take a reasonable period of unpaid time off work to deal with the crisis and/or make any necessary longer term arrangements.

Special Events

Journeys are better when they’re done together! Because we like hanging around together and having fun, you’ll be invited to various optional events throughout the year. There are also events that may be part of your job – things like lunch and learns, conferences and webinars. Here is the rundown on each of these event types.

Internal Company Events

We generally have a holiday party, a picnic, and we’ve done trips to the zoo, camping trips, cycling events and lots of other fun outings in the past. Some may include invitations for your family to attend, as well. While we love to have as many people as we can at these events, they are all optional, and you do not have to be there as part of your job.

External Events & Conferences

If we need you to be at an event for work, your manager will clearly let you know that it is a work requirement. Sometimes, you may be asked to attend a conference or a meeting off-site or out of town. While the conference or meeting may be considered a work-related activity, any activities you choose to participate in outside of the regular business of the event are also optional and not part of your job. Because these events and gatherings are options and voluntary on your part, nothing that happens at the event will be considered to have occurred “at work.” That means InterWorks won’t be liable for any accident, injury or other incident that occurs. And, since we’re all adults here, you are responsible for your own behaviour and actions at these events.

Event Behaviour & Responsibility

Please be aware of how your behaviour reflects upon InterWorks. In cases where alcohol is available or served, please be responsible and considerate to your coworkers and their families who may also be there. Even though an event may not be work-related, your actions or behaviour at a holiday party, for example, can adversely affect your employment. To be able to work here at InterWorks, we need you to acknowledge and agree that your participation in the above-described events is voluntary and not a mandated part of your job, and to agree that you will not seek to hold InterWorks liable or responsible for any accident, injury, illness or other occurrence at such event. We’ll assume you agree if you keep showing up to work.