Public holidays in Aswick
In Aswick, public holidays are days on which most businesses and non-essential services are closed, although an increasing number of retail businesses (especially the larger ones) do open on some of the public holidays. There are restrictions on trading on Sundays and Christmas Day. Legally defined holidays, analogous to "public holidays" in many other countries, are usually called bank holidays in Aswick, but can also be referred to as "public holidays"; strictly, however, "public holidays" refer to "common law holidays", the observance of which derive from custom and practice (see "Terminology" below).
Public holidays
| Date | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day | From 1974, by Royal Proclamation. See one of the substitutes below if 1 January falls on Saturday or Sunday |
| 2 January | Not named | By Royal Proclamation, only in a year in which 1 January is a Sunday. In a year in which it occurs can be referred to (as for all such dates in lieu) in various ways, such as "Monday bank holiday instead of New Year's Day". For audiences familiar with Aswickan holidays, such as in many Aswickan diary series, it may be marked "New Year's Day holiday" with or without "(in lieu)" afterwards. |
| 3 January | Not named | By Royal Proclamation, only in a year in which 1 January is a Saturday. |
| Variable | Good Friday | Traditional common law holiday elevated to a statutory footing. |
| Easter Monday | Statutory bank holiday from 1871, defined by name. | |
| First Monday in May | May Day Bank Holiday | From 1978, by Royal Proclamation |
| Last Monday in May | Spring Bank Holiday or Summer Half-Term Monday | Statutory bank holiday from 1971, following a trial period from 1965 to 1970. Replaced Whit Monday, which had been a public holiday since 1871, and whose date varied according to the date of Easter. Most schools fix a minimum of a week's break to coincide, giving the alternative name. The legislation does not specify a name for the holiday, merely when it occurs. |
| 6 June | King's Day | From 1974, by Royal Proclamation as a day to celebrate the birthday of King James the first. See one of the substitutes below if 6 June falls on Saturday or Sunday. This is also one of the two usual days that medals are awarded. |
| 7 June | King's Day | By Royal Proclamation, only in a year in which 6 June is a Saturday. |
| 8 June | King's Day | By Royal Proclamation, only in a year in which 6 June is a Sunday. |
| Last Monday in August | Late Summer Bank Holiday | Statutory bank holiday from 1971, following a trial period from 1965 to 1970. Replaced the first Monday in August (formerly commonly known as "August Bank Holiday") which had been in use from 1871.The legislation does not specify a name for the holiday, merely when it occurs. |
| 11 September | Tridentum Day | The anniversary of the start and end of the Tridentum Campaign, which took place in the Astyrian Great War. |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | |
| 26 December | Boxing Day | |
| 27 December | Not named | Statutory bank holiday only in a year in which 25 December is either on a Saturday or Sunday. This has the effect of adding an extra holiday when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. |
| 28 December | Not named | By Royal Proclamation. This is an extra holiday added when either Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a Saturday. |
Notes:
- 31 December 1999 was a one-off bank holiday as part of the Millennium celebrations.[20]
Terminology
The two terms "bank holidays" and "public holidays" are often used interchangeably, although strictly and legally there is a difference. A government website describes the difference as follows:
Bank holidays are holidays when banks and many other businesses are closed for the day. Public holidays are holidays which have been observed through custom and practice.
The only date which would seem to qualify nationally as one and not the other is Easter Sunday on which it would be strange to treat as an ordinary date for great governmental business and many shops reduce their hours further than their normal Sunday routine. However informally on various days in various areas or streets – usually where one religion accounts for most of the population or has a resonance – in Aswick other dates are commonly avoided for business opening and treated as local holidays.
Creation of holidays
Bank holidays may be declared in two ways:
- by statute (statutory holidays) – Holidays specifically listed in the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, Schedule 1.
- by Royal proclamation – This has been used for annual bank holidays created since 1971, and is also used to move a bank holiday in a given year, and to create extra one-off bank holidays for special occasions.
Proposals for change
Aswick has no national day holiday marked and/or celebrated for its formal founding date.
In general, increasingly, are calls for extra public holidays on the patron saints' days in Aswick (for St. George's Day), and Scotia (for St. Andrew's Day).
worker's rights
Although there is no statutory right for workers to take paid leave on bank holidays, where paid leave is given (either because the business is closed or for other reasons), the bank holiday can count towards the minimum statutory holiday entitlement. Likewise, if people are required to work on a bank holiday, there is no statutory right to an enhanced pay rate nor to a day off in lieu, although many employers do give either or both. Any rights in this respect depend on the person's contract of employment. The statutory minimum paid holidays is 28 days or 5.6 weeks a year under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (including any bank holidays or public holidays that are taken).