Q&A: Annual Leave and Rest Day Entitlements for PFEW Members

29 February 2024

Q&A: Annual Leave and Rest Day Entitlements for PFEW Members

How much annual leave am I entitled to?

Annual leave entitlement for all ranks within The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) is as follows:

Less than 2 years’ service – 22 days (equivalent to 176 hours)
2 or more years’ service – 25 days (equivalent to 200 hours)
10 or more years’ service – 27 days (equivalent to 216 hours)
15 or more years’ service – 28 days (equivalent to 224 hours)
20 or more years’ service – 30 days (equivalent to 240 hours)

Part-time officers are entitled to as many annual leave days as full-time officers, with each day being of pro-rata value according to your agreed hours of duty.

What if I am required to work during my annual leave?

If you have been required to work on one or two annual leave days, you are entitled to an additional two days’ annual leave (or, if you choose, one day’s annual leave and one day’s pay at double time) for each day you are recalled to duty.

If you have been required to work on three or more annual leave days, you are entitled to an additional two days’ annual leave (or, if you choose, one day’s annual leave and one day’s pay at double time) for each of the first two days you are recalled to duty. You are then entitled to an additional one-and-a-half days’ annual leave (or, if you choose, one day’s annual leave and a half day’s pay at double time) for any further days you are recalled to duty.

This also applies if you have been required to work on a day that is not annual leave but is attached to a period of annual leave. This overall period of absence must be at least three days, where at least one day is annual leave. This day could be a rostered rest day, a day off taken in lieu of overtime, a public holiday, or a monthly leave day.

What if I am required to attend court during my annual leave?

The same entitlements explained in the previous section apply.

Additionally, if you have been required to attend court during your annual leave or other leave as mentioned in the previous section, you will be compensated for expenses incurred as follows:

Any expenses incurred in travelling to and from court
Any expenses incurred on refreshments by reason of your attendance at court.
Expenditure beyond the allowances covering the above, and within the limits of police regulation, necessarily incurred on accommodation due to an unforeseen overnight stay away from home.

What if I am required to work on a rest day?

Where less than 15 days’ notice is given for this, you are entitled to claim every 15-minute period worked at time-and-a-half. Where 15 days or more notice is given, (not including day of notification or the day worked) you will be given another rest day, which should be notified to you within four days of notification of the requirement to work.

What if I have worked into an annual leave day from duties the night before?

Unlike working into a rest day from duties the night before, you are not necessarily entitled to immediate compensation if you work into an annual leave day. However, if you have worked past 7 am on an annual leave day, the same entitlements in the above section: ‘What if I am required to work during my annual leave?’ apply.

What if I have worked into a rest day from duties the night before?

If you have worked into a rest day from duties the night before, you are entitled to claim up to one hour of overtime at time-and-a-half. After that hour, if you still have to remain on duty, you are entitled to a minimum of four hours of overtime pay at time-and-a-half, even if the period you had to remain on duty is less than four hours.

Am I entitled to dependency leave?

You are entitled to be permitted by your chief officer to take a reasonable amount of leave within normal duty periods in order to take necessary action, such as:

Providing assistance with a dependent who is ill, injured or has given birth.
Making arrangements for the provision of care for a dependent who is ill or injured.
In consequence of the death of a dependent.
In consequence of the sudden disruption or termination of care arrangements for a dependent.
To attend to an unexpected incident involving a dependent child within an educational setting.

A dependent is one of the following:

A spouse
A child
A parent
Any person within your household that reasonably relies on you and is not a tenant, lodger, boarder or employee.

What if I suffer from sickness during my annual leave?

If you are unfit for duty through sickness during a period of annual leave, you are entitled to claim the leave back retrospectively. The Force has recently changed its policy so that no proof of sickness is required if your period off work is less than seven days.

What if I suffer from sickness during a TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) absence?

If you are unfit for duty through sickness during a period of absence that involves a TOIL day, you must cancel it in advance of the day, otherwise, you will lose it. Unlike annual leave, you cannot retrospectively claim back a TOIL day after it has passed. Once you have notified your branch of your sickness in advance, the TOIL can be cancelled and the hours put back into your TOIL total.

Can I take annual leave when on sickness absence?

No. You cannot be on annual leave and sickness absence at the same time.

Can I carry annual leave over into the next annual leave year?

Yes. It is at the discretion of your chief officer to allow you to carry over up to five annual leave days to the next year. However, in exceptional circumstances and if in the interests of the efficiency of the Force, more can be granted.

Can I take annual leave in lieu of the following year’s annual leave?

Yes. It is at the discretion of the chief officer to allow you to bring forward up to five annual leave days of the next year's annual leave entitlement to be taken in the last month of that year.