Rest Periods, Annual Leave and Time Off

Provision is made under Common Tenure as follows:

Weekly rest period

An office holder shall be entitled to an uninterrupted rest period of not less than 24 hours in any period of seven days.

In the Diocese of Worcester the statement of particulars of office issued under the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service Regulations) 2009 usually specifies that any rest period may not be taken on or include a Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Day or Christmas Day.

Annual leave

Office holders occupying a full-time post shall be entitled to thirty six days annual leave in any calendar year without any deduction of any stipend to which the office holder is entitled. 

In the Diocese of Worcester the statement of particulars of office issued under the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service Regulations) 2009 usually specify that annual leave may not be taken on more than six Sundays a year, Good Friday, Easter Day or Christmas Day. (The statement of particulars may specify particular days on which annual leave shall or may not be taken and may, in particular, specify the maximum number of Sundays on which annual leave may be taken.)

Office holders occupying a part-time post shall be entitled to such period of annual leave as may be specified in the statement of particulars of office issued under the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service Regulations) 2009.

The Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service Regulations) 2009 set out at Regulation 22 the arrangements to be followed for prorata leave entitlement in the first and final years of an appointment.

The amounts of leave referred to above shall exclude any period of special leave allowed by the Bishop of Worcester including any such leave granted for the purposes of removal and re-settlement.

The Bishop of Worcester allows as special leave, i.e. in addition to annual leave, up to five days per annum to be taken in conjunction with an office holder's weekly rest period subject to only one of those additional days being taken in any one week and none being taken on a Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Day or Christmas Day.

While clergy are very much encouraged to take their leave, they are not required to do so.

For posts which are not held under Common Tenure the above provisions are suggested guidelines.


February 2011

The contents on this page was formerly section A8 of the Diocesan Compendium.

Page last updated: Friday 16th October 2020 1:32 PM
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