Draft regulations amending the Working Time Regulations 1998 by increasing annual leave entitlement from four weeks to 5.6 weeks are now available on the OPSI website.

The draft Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2007 provide that workers become eligible for an additional 0.8 week's leave from 1 October 2007, followed by a second 0.8-week increase from 1 April 2009, capped at 28 days. The additional leave may not be replaced by a payment in lieu, except where the employment is terminated, or during an initial transitional phase ending on 1 April 2009. A relevant agreement may provide for the additional leave to be carried over into the following year. The new provisions will not apply where, as at 1 October 2007, a worker already receives an additional 1.6 weeks' leave, subject to certain conditions.

Interestingly, a recent IRS survey on annual leave [subscription required] indicates that one in seven organisations surveyed plans to increase its holiday entitlement to stay ahead of the statutory minimum. With the draft Regulations now available, and due to be finalised by the end of June, this figure may increase as the implementation date nears and competitors start to signal their intentions.