We recently polled HR professionals from across Northern Ireland during a webinar and, while annual leave might seem like a routine topic, the results revealed some telling trends............. 

Carry-over policies are more generous than you might expect: Nearly two-thirds (65.71%) of respondents said their organisation allows broader carry-over of unused statutory leave beyond the legal minimum. Only a quarter stick strictly to the sick-related legal baseline. A small group (8.57%) admitted their policy isn’t clearly defined - yikes. 

Keeping policies legally up-to-date is a priority for most: A reassuring 73.47% of HR teams regularly review and update their annual leave policies to reflect current NI law and case rulings. But 10.2% aren’t confident their policies are fully aligned - suggesting room for improvement (or a good reason to stick with Legal Island for top, up to date advice!). 

Biggest challenge? Understanding the law itself: When it comes to the tricky overlap between annual leave and sick leave, nearly half (48.98%) said their biggest challenge is simply grasping the legal boundaries. Others struggle with consistent application (30.61%) and tracking (20.41%). 

So, what’s the takeaway? Even seasoned HR pros are navigating a complex and evolving landscape. If your policies haven’t had a legal health check lately, now might be the time. 

Catch up on the latest Employment Law at 11 on this very topic here.