Annual Leave for Police Staff Policy

1. Statement of Policy

This policy and the associated procedure aims to ensure consistency and accuracy when calculating and allocating annual leave and public holidays meeting the requirements of the Police Staff terms and Conditions.

All staff have a vital role to play in ensuring the highest standard of service delivery is provided to the community. The Force is therefore committed to creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential, regardless of their position in the organisation.

This policy was generated by the need to inform staff of their rights and entitlements to take paid leave in line with employment legislation and also for the purpose of consistency of application across the force.

The objective of this policy is to provide a framework for managers to ensure that all staff are treated fairly and consistently across the force in relation to annual leave whilst ensuring effective service provision.

Applies (but not limited) to: All categories of Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary (including agency staff, associates and contractors), seconded staff and volunteers. Police Officers, staff and volunteers accessing and using Force assets and property must have due regard to the contents of this policy.

 

2. Policy Scope

This policy applies to all police staff within Dyfed-Powys Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, including those assigned to specialist teams and departments.

Line managers are responsible for the management of their staff and should use their professional judgement in applying the prescriptive requirement of this policy. Any deviations from the policy must be justified.

This policy works in line with the police staff terms and conditions of employment but may be subject to local agreements with the recognised trade unions.

 

3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

This document and the associated procedure provides guidance on the line manager’s responsibilities in the application of the policy as well as employee’s. There are other documents which may also prove helpful and should be read in conjunction with the policy, these are listed below.

• Attendance & Performance Management Policy
• Police Staff Council Pay and Conditions of Service Handbook
• Working Time Regulations – Workforce Agreement – Unison
• Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Support Leave Policy
• Leave for Personal Family Reasons plus Other Special Leave

 

4. Options and Contingencies

Annual Leave will be accrued based on each calendar month of service for full time and part time police staff workers during individual leave years.

Annual Leave entitlement is calculated as follows –

• From 0 to 5 years – 24 days or (177.7 hours) annual entitlement
• 5 years to 10 years – 29 days or (214.6 hours) annual entitlement
• 10 years and over – 32 days or 236.8 hours) annual entitlement

Staff who work shifts longer than a usual 7.4 hour day (37/5) will be allocated annual leave in hours based on annual entitlement.

Leave must only be taken in periods of half or complete shifts.

Part time police staff workers are entitled to a pro rata full time annual leave entitlement based on fraction of full time worked.

Casual police staff workers accrue annual leave entitlement based on the hours worked; this will be claimed as detailed in the current Pay and Conditions of Services Handbook, section 12.

To allow adequate preparation for planning and maintenance of staffing levels, it is reasonable for line managers to request staff to submit annual leave requests 12 months in advance. Requests made at shorter notice may be declined if managers do not feel suitable staffing levels will be met. Line Managers should ensure they approve or decline requests for annual leave within 4 weeks of the date the request was submitted.

Managers will decide how many members of staff can be away at any one time, in number and by grade or role. This will vary within different areas according to operational requirements.

Where there are conflicting annual leave requests, managers will negotiate with their staff to achieve an acceptable solution. Managers should notify individuals of the reasons for not authorising leave request and record the decision made.

It is reasonable for staff to expect that all incidents of sickness absence that coincide with periods of refused annual leave will be investigated by the line manager. Staff are reminded that false declaration of sickness absence may be subject to disciplinary action.

The Code of Ethics principles are relevant to this policy –

• Courage
• Respect and Empathy
• Public Service

This policy aims to support the delivery of Our Plan and Our Culture Pledge.

 

5. Take action and review

It is good practice to have a process in place that assures the regular formal review of all policies. To guarantee the effectiveness of this policy and the associated procedure and to ensure its accordance with current legislation, a review will be carried out at least triennially and will look to examine –

• Changes in legislation
• Good practice examples from other Forces or organisations
• Change in Home Office Circulars
• Representations made by individuals and/or relevant organisations

Any amendments to this policy and the associated procedure will be implemented by the nominated representative within HR and overseen and approved by the Joint Negotiating and Consultative Committee.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty. 

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: October 2025