MENTAL HEALTH - 24.10.2022

Should you implement mental health holidays?

As part of an ongoing commitment to employee wellbeing, Thomson Reuters now designates two days per calendar year as mental health holidays, one of which is today (24 October 2022). Should you consider introducing something similar?

Employees of Thomson Reuters are encouraged to use their designated mental health days to practice whatever methods they prefer to help them cope with emotional and physical pressures, although they can actually do what they like on these days off, which are additional to their paid annual leave entitlement. It’s really up to you whether to allow your employees to take a designated day (or two) off each year as a mental health holiday, taking into account that it’s effectively extra paid time off work on top of existing holiday rights, but if you do, you should put in place a policy setting out how your scheme works. For example, covering:

whether the policy is discretionary - although this may not prevent it hardening into a contractual entitlement over time
how many days per year will be designated
clarification that the designated day(s) are additional to, and separate from, paid annual leave entitlement
whether there’s a minimum service requirement before employees will be eligible
how it will apply to part-time employees
confirmation that if the employee doesn’t take time off on the designated day, they can’t take an alternative day off, carry it forward into the next year or receive a payment in lieu.