Cancelling Annual Leave

Due to the wildfires occurring in the Greek Islands, many employees may have their holiday plans changed or flights cancelled. What should you do if an employee requests to cancel their annual leave?

There are no specific laws regarding whether or not you should allow your employees to cancel their holiday, and therefore it is down to the employer's discretion. However, it is important to check your internal policy in the Employee Handbook, as it may provide some guidance on how you should handle this situation.

It is important to consider each circumstance individually. You should consider factors such as how much notice the employee has given you, and how much disruption it would cause. If it is reasonable to allow the employee to cancel their holiday, then inform them as soon as you can. If you operate a "use it or lose it" policy, inform them that they will be expected to take this annual leave at another time before the end of your holiday year.

If it is not reasonable for you to cancel the request, then you should consider other options- such as whether part of the holiday could be cancelled. You should let your employee know as soon as you can if you are unable to uphold their request.