Annual leave entitlement: your questions answered

9 October 2024

It can be confusing knowing what annual leave you are entitled to. To help, Suffolk Police Federation has put together the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. For further advice, please contact your local Federation representative.

How many days is my annual Leave entitlement?

Federated officers working a standard 40-hour week are entitled to the following days off (in addition to public holidays) and pro-rata for officers working part-time.

• Fewer than 2 years’ service = 22 days (176 hours)

• 2-9 years = 25 days (200 hours)

• 10-14 years = 27 days (216 hours)

• 15-19 years = 28 days (224 hours)

• 20+ years = 30 days (240 hours)

The annual leave entitlement period runs from 1 April to the following 31 March. Officers will accrue leave with each completed calendar month at a 1/12 of their full entitlement, which continues to accrue during periods of unpaid leave, sick leave or maternity leave, unless there is an express agreement, such as a career break.

For direct entry inspectors, leave entitlement is:

• Under 6 years’ service = 25 days (200 hours)

• 6 or more years = 27 days (216 hours)

• 11 or more years = 28 days (224 hours)

• 16 or more years = 30 days (240 hours)

When should I book my time off?

Requests for annual leave should be submitted as early as possible via the DMS system, particularly for peak times such as school holidays. This will allow leave to be planned and authorised equitably and fairly, and you should be given a response within 10 calendar days.

Since the health and well-being benefits of taking leave from work are well recognised, officers are encouraged to take their full entitlement. Approval is subject to exigencies of duty (where it may be necessary to restrict or stop applications for annual leave at certain periods) so submit your application early.

Will I have to work at Christmas or New Year?

This depends on exigencies of duty, however time off requests for 16th December to the public holiday in January, inclusive, must be submitted between 1 June and 15 July of the relevant year.

What if I fall sick while I’m on leave?

Officers who fall sick during a period of annual leave or public holidays and wish to re-claim their leave must follow the Force policy for reporting sickness absence, reporting sickness on the first day of falling unwell. Leave days may be reinstated, but free days and rest days are not. Please note that a fit note for the period of absence is required if the absence is for more than seven consecutive days.

If you are returning late from annual leave due to sickness or unforeseen circumstances, you must notify your line manager as soon possible.

Can I carry leave days over to next year?

At the discretion of the chief officer and subject to exigencies of duty officers can carry over up to five days of leave from the current year to the next (in exceptional circumstances the chief officer may allow a member to carry over more days); or bring forward to the last month of a leave year no more than five days’ leave from the following leave year.

If you do not take your full leave entitlement due to sickness you could be entitled to carry over remaining leave days to the following year, providing it had not been possible to take the days off during the current year.

Can I still book annual leave if I am suspended from duty?

If you are suspended due to a misconduct investigation, you can continue to manage and book their annual leave as if still at work. Before approving leave, line managers are required to check with the Force’s Professional Standards Department that this will not impede the progress of the misconduct investigation.

What if I am recalled to duty from annual leave?

A member is entitled to compensation where a recall from annual leave occurs.

Your entitlement under this regulation is now:

• 2 days’ leave for each of the first two days recalled OR if you elect,

• 1 days’ leave plus 1 day at double time payment for each of the first two days 

If you are recalled for more than two days, the third and any subsequent day is compensated at the rate of:

• 1.5 days leave for each day OR if you elect

• 1 days’ leave plus 0.5 days’ pay at double time in lieu of each such day

This applies to any period of absence of three or more days, where at least one day is shown as annual leave and the other days, if not annual leave, are rostered rest days, days taken as time off in lieu of overtime, public holidays (or days taken in lieu of such) monthly leave or any combination.

A day's pay is to be defined as eight hours, or the equivalent in respect of officers working alternative shift systems or part-time. 

This is not considered to be 'overtime' and is claimable by the Inspecting rank. Any compensation for working on a rest day, with less than 15 days notice, during a qualifying period of annual leave will attract compensation for both the recall from annual leave AND the working on a rest day. 

What if I am owed Time off in lieu (TOIL)?

If an officer works overtime, they may receive time off in place of a payment. TOIL will be authorised by the line management on the ERP system. If TOIL has not been taken within three months from the date it was accrued, payment for the accrued time will be made to the officer.

What if a public holiday falls on my rest / free day?

If a public holiday falls on a rostered rest day, and you are not required to work, then the rest day is reallocated. If a public holiday falls on a free day an officer will receive holiday hours equal to their public holiday entitlement. Officers can use these public holiday hours to book time off work in the same way as annual leave.

Can I get time off to attend medical appointments?

Officers are entitled to paid time off for preventative medical treatments and screening appointments. The Force will encourage you to make medical appointments should be made outside of working hours where possible, or as near to the start or end of your shift to minimise disruption. However, the policy is flexible enough to recognise that this is not always possible.

Absence from work of one day or more due to essential surgical or medical procedures will be recorded as sickness absence.

Officers who want to take time off for elective surgery should request annual leave or TOIL to cover their absence. Paid time off will not usually be given, other than for psychological or health reasons, or if complications arise that requires additional time off.

What if I am called up for Jury Service?

If you are required to attend jury service, you they should immediately notify your line manager of the dates to enable appropriate cover to be found. The normal length of jury service is two weeks. If an officer’s absence is likely to cause substantial operational harm, the Force may require the officer to apply to be excused or to defer their jury service. Officers would continue to receive normal full pay during jury service, including allowances.

Can I take time off for training?

Officers with at least 26 weeks’ continuous service have the right to request unpaid time off to undertake any training which they believe will improve their own effectiveness and/or the performance of the organisation. There is no automatic entitlement to have time off granted.

There is no set limit on the amount of training time off that the officer can request, but only one request can be submitted in any 12-month period.

Am I entitled to compassionate leave?

Compassionate leave is available to help an officer cope with a traumatic event or circumstances, such as severe ill health, injury or death, of a partner, dependant, or near relative or person close to them. This could also include becoming the victim of domestic abuse.

Officers should contact their line manager as soon as possible to inform them of the situation and discuss what support can be provided. The amount of compassionate leave to be granted is down to manager discretion, with up to three days of paid compassionate leave (a further four days’ extension can be approved by the superintendent or head of department).

Parental bereavement leave (two weeks’ paid leave) is available to all officers who suffer a still-birth after 24 weeks of pregnancy or lose a child under the age of 18.

What if I can’t get into work?

If severe weather conditions prevent an officer from traveling to work, they should contact their supervisor or line manager before the start of their shift and agree an appropriate course of action. This might be work be working from home or at an alternative and accessible location or taking leave.

What if I incur an unauthorised absence?

Line managers are advised that unauthorised absence may take different forms and occur for a good reason, for example to care for a dependant in the event of an emergency. The length of the absence, and explanation for it, will determine how it is dealt with. If the line manager is unsatisfied with the reason for your absence this can become a conduct issue. Turn to your Fed rep if you require advice.

Suffolk Constabulary published an updated annual leave policy on 20 September 2024, which you can read in full here.