Clever trick to get 39 days off work using just 17 days of annual leave – but you need to be quick

SAVVY workers can bag a few extra days off this year by using a simple calendar hack.

Maximising your annual leave allowance is just a matter of being strategic about when you plan your time off.

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But workers who book their leave around bank holidays can get more than five weeks off between now and the end of the year.

Taking time off from work can be used to relax, go on a big holiday or spend time with family and friends.

However you want to use your time, the key to getting longer breaks is to use the bank holidays carefully and submit your leave requests quickly.

Of course, this assumes that you don’t have to work bank holidays.

Here’s exactly what you need to do…

May

You should book these dates around the Early May Bank Holiday on May 6 to get nine days off to relax – by only taking four days of leave.

• Tuesday, May 7
• Wednesday, May 8
• Thursday, May 9
• Friday, May 10

End of May and early June

The next Bank Holiday is Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, May 27.

Book off these four dates and you’ll get nine consecutive days off running into June:

• Tuesday, May 28
• Wednesday, May 29
• Thursday, May 30
• Friday, May 31

End of August

The summer Bank Holiday lands on Monday, August 26 this year.

You’ll get a nine-day stint by only booking these four dates off:

• Tuesday, August 27
• Wednesday, August 28
• Thursday, August 29
• Friday, August 30

December

There are two Bank Holidays in December – Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) and Thursday, December 26 (Boxing Day).

You can enjoy nine days off by booking just these three days off on leave:

• Monday, December 23
• Tuesday, December 24
• Friday, December 27

Or, you can get 12 days off work, including the weekend, by booking off the following days:

• Friday, December 27
• Monday, December 30
• Tuesday, December 31
• Thursday, January 2
• Friday, January 3

What are my rights to time off?

You will need to, of course, make sure your boss agrees to holiday requests to make the most of this holiday hack.

Most employees who work a five-day week must get at least 28 days’ paid annual leave a year – the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.

However, there is no obligation for employers to grant requests for specific dates.

Getting the dates off often depends on how many other employees plan to take time off at the same time– so getting in early to make a request can make a difference.  

And make sure you get time off approved before you pay for plans, that you may not be able to do.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk