By IRNA
London : British workers will continue to receive less paid holiday than their European counterparts, despite new laws to boost their entitlement, according to new research published Monday.
Staff in Britain will be entitled to a total of 28 days paid annual leave from April 2009, under legislation recently introduced to implement a change in EU rules.
A survey by Incomes Data Services found that in contrast to the minimum UK entitlement, workers in 24 of the 27 EU countries will receive at least 30 days holiday. In the other two, Ireland and the Netherlands, staff will average up to 29 days paid leave.
Top of the list, Denmark’s entitlement was put at 39.5 days, followed by Austria with 38, Sweden 36 and Slovakia, Luxembourg and France all with 35. In Germany, the average was calculated to be between 34 and 39 days.
The UK’s minimum entitlement is being raised in two stages, going up from 24 days in October 2007.