Asda Boxing Day: Staff off work during closure will have to use up holiday or go unpaid

The Leeds-based supermarket announced last week that it would close all stores on Boxing Day, giving employees 'an extra day with their loved ones'.

Asda CEO Roger Burnley said that workers have “all done an incredible job” serving customers and communities in what has been “a challenging year."

He said: "This is of course our busiest time of year but it was important for us to give as many of you as possible the opportunity to spend this time with those loved ones that you may not have not seen for many months so, uniquely for this year, we will not reopen our stores until December 27.”

Staff who take Boxing Day off will have to use up annual leave or go unpaid as with other bank holidays during the year, an Asda spokesperson has confirmed.

Those who choose to work on Boxing Day will receive an enhanced rate of pay.

An Asda spokesman said: "Our colleagues have worked extremely hard this year and have not been able to see friends and family for much of it.

"That is why we made the decision to close our stores on Boxing Day to offer thousands of colleagues the chance to have an extended break over the festive period and temporary lifting of Covid restrictions.

"Any colleagues who do work on Boxing Day to prepare for our stores reopening on December 27 will receive an enhanced rate of pay for doing so.”

GMB, the union for Asda workers, said it was a "shame" that the day was not given as extra holiday.

In a statement, the union said: "GMB has been requesting Asda to allow their key worker heroes family time over the Christmas period, so we are really pleased they have agreed to our calls.

“It’s a shame this is not an extra days holiday - workers will have to book a day of their annual leave entitlement.

“But it’s a step in the right direction and GMB now calls on the rest of the retail sector to follow suit and repay these key workers with a chance to spend Boxing Day with their loved ones.”