Woman, 59, Secures £12,000 Holiday Pay Victory After MSE Guidance
A 59-year-old woman has successfully reclaimed more than £12,000 from her employer in overdue holiday pay, following advice from Money Saving Expert. The reader, named Joanne, wrote into the team of BBC and ITV star Martin Lewis at MSE after discovering she might be entitled to compensation.
From Full-Time to Part-Time: A Worker's Journey
Joanne, who resides in Scotland, originally worked as a financial services employee in a full-time position until her retirement in 2021. She later continued as a casual worker before returning to the same company on a part-time basis in 2023, working approximately 25 hours per week.
Despite her consistent schedule, Joanne had not taken time off and consequently hadn't considered holiday pay. Her perspective changed dramatically in July of last year when she received an email from MSE outlining the rules regarding holiday entitlements.
The Moment of Realisation and Action
"I spotted that and thought, 'Well, I'm on a zero-hours contract. I wonder if that applies to me'," Joanne recalled. Prompted by this insight, she contacted her HR department, which confirmed she was owed over £12,000 in holiday pay.
"I nearly fell over, and so did she. I was just absolutely flabbergasted," she said, describing her reaction. "It was an absolute godsend as I'd been diagnosed as having severe arthritis earlier in the year... The waiting list in my area is really long and I could not face that length of time in the pain that I was in – I wasn't sleeping."
Joanne expressed gratitude, adding, "This money has really helped, so thank you for posting such useful advice."
Broader Implications and Additional Cases
This case highlights a wider issue of unpaid holiday pay affecting various workers. In a related example, a 17-year-old reclaimed £240 after realizing she hadn't received due holiday pay from two former employers.
Chrissy Bell, a senior advisor for Acas, commented on the situation, noting, "Some people might find it quite a daunting idea to raise a concern with their employer, but it may be a genuine mistake they did not realise has been made. Talking to the employer informally might be enough to highlight the issue and get it resolved."
This story underscores the importance of understanding employment rights and taking proactive steps to address potential discrepancies in pay. Workers are encouraged to review their contracts and holiday entitlements to ensure they receive what they are legally owed.
