Why employers are deliberately rejecting paid holiday requests

You’re overdue a break from work and you’ve finally got enough money for a week’s break in the sun. The summer season is over so there shouldn’t be any clashes with other colleagues wanting to take time off — and it’s a quiet period at work — so you put in a holiday request. But a couple of days later, it’s rejected with no explanation.

Workers are typically entitled to 28 days paid leave for a typical five-day week, but new research suggests workers are being deliberately cheated out of holiday pay.

A report by the Trades Union Congress found workers are missing out on holiday pay worth £2bn, with some employers deliberately denying holiday requests.

Last year, 1.1 million UK employees didn’t take any of the paid holiday they were entitled to. Among the main reasons included in the report were a culture where workers feared asking for paid time off could lead to them being treated unfavourably, staff struggling with unrealistic workloads, as well as requests being turned down. The report found that these "missing weeks" of paid holiday added up to around £1,800 per employee.

Black and minority ethnic staff, as well as low-paid workers, are often disproportionately affected. The roles with the highest numbers of staff losing out were waiters and waitresses, care workers, home carers and catering assistants.

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Dominika Kowalska, a career expert for Zety, says employers may reject requests for paid time off for several reasons, even though workers have a legal right to it.

“Often, it’s due to operational needs — if the business is short-staffed or experiencing a busy period, an absence may disrupt workflow,” she says.

“Requests can also be rejected if they don’t comply with company policies, such as inadequate notice or attempting to take time off during restricted periods. In smaller teams or specialised roles, finding coverage may be difficult, which can lead to a denial.”

However, denying paid time off requests can be exploitative. In the UK, workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year, which is equivalent to 28 days for someone working a 5-day week.

Not everyone is legally entitled to paid time off, though — and even those who are can find it difficult to take holidays. For example, freelancers, contractors, and sole traders are typically considered self-employed and may not be entitled to paid holiday under UK employment law.

Although agency workers are entitled to paid holiday under the same rules as regular employees, they often face practical difficulties if their contracts are complex or short-term. Zero-hours workers are entitled to paid holiday, but because their hours can vary, calculating holiday pay can be difficult. Some of these workers may avoid taking time off due to the insecurity of their work, or because they don’t realise they’re entitled to it.

Not taking time off work can have serious consequences for workers. A study by the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation published in 2021 found that working long hours was associated with a higher risk of stroke and heart disease.

Often, workers who don’t take sufficient time off tend to accumulate these excessive hours over time. Overwork has also been linked to higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as lower productivity, less job satisfaction and more time off sick.

What can you do if your request to take paid time off has been unfairly rejected?

Kowalska suggests that a proactive approach can help prevent the likelihood of a request being denied. For example, by taking leave during a quiet period.

“An employee should have a clear plan of action ready when making a paid time off (PTO) request and articulate to their manager how their vacation will not disrupt operations,” she says.

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“If someone still believes their PTO request was unfairly denied, they should first review company policies to ensure their request followed the guidelines,” Kowalska suggests. “Next, a conversation with their supervisor to understand the reason behind the denial is key, as there may be several operational factors at play.”

It’s also worth trying to reach an agreement with your manager, for example, by suggesting alternative dates, offering to complete a project before taking a break, or creating a handover document.

“If the employee still feels the rejection was unjust, involving human resources might be the best option to mediate the situation and ensure company policies are applied fairly.”

Finally, if you are still denied paid time off without being given an adequate reason, you may be able to take your employer to an employment tribunal.

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