Unlimited paid holiday is not a new concept but why would employers offer such a benefit? Alison Downie, partner at Goodman Derrick LLP, and Sinead O’Brien, trainee solicitor at the London law firm, investigate the scheme and consider how successful it has been.
First appearing in the US in the 1990s, unlimited paid holiday grew particularly in Silicone Valley amongst tech companies.
It travelled across the pond a few years ago. Virgin adopted it in 2014 and more UK companies followed.
Legally, UK employees are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks or 28 days of holiday each year (full time) – an employer can include bank holidays as part of this entitlement. By contrast, unlimited paid holiday allows an employee to take paid annual holiday whenever they wish to do so each year with no limit....