Are you planning a Christmas/New Year shutdown?

If you plan to close your business, or parts of it, over the Christmas/New year period, as an employer, you must remember to observe the following:

• Provide your staff one month's notice prior to the close down commencing.
• Provide employees with insufficient leave entitlements to cover the close down period leave without pay.
• Make pro-rata payments to employees who have worked less than 12 months.
• Each business can only have one close down notice per calendar year.

If your business is still recovering from the economic slowdown, it may make sense for your company to take a longer than usual shutdown period easing the pressure on implementing hours or staff reductions.

Clients of Your HRmanager's Retained Advisory Services and Online Library can download a template letter advising their employees of the Christmas Shutdown.