Easter Trading Law Change
A recent change to the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 now enables councils to decide whether shops in their district can open on Easter Sunday. The change is from Easter 2017, depending on each individual council. We will update you closer to the time with our councils’ local policies.
For employers who plan to open on Easter Sunday, this means you must tell staff of their right to refuse to work, eg by group email. This must be done:
- between eight and four weeks before Easter Sunday, or
- as soon as possible if new staff join your business less than four weeks before Easter Sunday.
For employees, the law change means they can:
- refuse to work on Easter Sunday without giving a reason and without repercussions — but they must tell you they’re not going to work
- raise a personal grievance against you if they believe they’ve been:
- made to work Easter Sunday, or
- treated badly for refusing to work Easter Sunday.
An employee who doesn’t intend to work Easter Sunday must tell you in writing within 14 days of receiving the right to refuse. This can be by letter or email.
