WITH England set to kick-off its World Cup campaign tonight, many footie fans are preparing for some late-night match watching.
Many fans are likely wondering if they can book time off work to ensure an early shift doesn’t clash with match-day viewing.
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Brits are gearing up to watch England’s first match in the World Cup tonight Credit: PA
Lateness and World Cup sick days are set to rise, and your employers will anticipate it Credit: Alamy
England are set to take on Croatia tonight in the team’s opening match of the tournament, but fans will have to wait until 9pm for kick-off.
With the World Cup being hosted in the United States, fans should anticipate late night matches in line with American timezones.
For employers, international football tournaments can cause increased lateness, fatigue, and complaints of unfair treatment with annual leave requests.
However, unless your boss has been informed beforehand, there is no obligation for them to let you leave work early.
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This is not the case for those who are self-employed, or have flexible contracts, who can decide to leave work early without any repercussions, selecting how many days they will be in the office.
This means they can schedule time off to recover from a late-night watch party – a clause that is not realistically a reasonable excuse for other workers.
Trying to take a sick day during the World Cup is a tactic a quarter of Brits are willing to attempt, studies suggest.
Unions and employment experts have already warned businesses to get ready for “World Cup sickies” in the office.
All workers, apart from those who are self-employed, are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, if they have started work for an employer, are sick for four days straight, or earn at least £113 a week.
If this is a genuine reason, and your boss attempts to say you aren’t entitled to money, you can ask them to fill in the government sick pay form explaining their reasons.
Once received, you can contact HM Revenue and Customs, where the taxman will decide if you are sick or not.
Remember, however, bosses will be on the look out for World Cup related absences that do not follow its company policy.
Employers can refuse annual leave requests provided it is done fairly and in line with workplace policies, and can use normal disciplinary methods to address lateness.
Ultimately, getting paid and watching the World Cup is a difficult task to negotiate, so it may be best to book in those holidays, or set an early alarm.
