Shetland Islands Council recommends staff not have World Cup bank holiday

Shetland Islands Council officers are recommending that its staff should not have a public holiday to mark Scotland’s participation in this summer’s football World Cup.

The recommendation has been made due to additional staffing costs and the detrimental impact on island communities if ferry services were reduced.

A decision will be made by elected members at a meeting of the full council next week.

Earlier this month, the Scottish Government confirmed an extra bank holiday on Monday, June 15, to mark Scotland’s first appearance at the World Cup since 1998.

With the World Cup being held in the US, Canada, and Mexico, Scotland’s first group game against Haiti kicks off at 2am UK time on Sunday, June 14.

Scotland will then play Morocco on June 19 at 11pm UK time and then Brazil on June 24 at 11pm UK time.

It is up to each council in Scotland how to approach national holidays.

The SIC has six designated public holidays – New Year’s Day, January 2, the day after Lerwick Up Helly Aa, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Back in 2023, the SIC did not grant a bank holiday for the King’s Coronation, and instead, managers were encouraged to grant leave where possible.

The report to councillors says there are early indications that a number of other councils will also not grant an additional public holiday for the World Cup.

The report recommends ‘option one’ – keep things business as usual, and managers would be encouraged to grant leave where possible, in line with the needs of service.

A second option in the report is to grant an additional annual leave day for all employees on June 15, which means that, where possible, non-essential services would close – including schools.

Under this option, employees not scheduled to work on June 15 would be entitled to take their pro-rated leave at another time to ensure they are not treated “less favourably”.

Employees required to work and unable to take leave on this day would have an additional day, or pro-rata equivalent, added to their annual leave entitlement.

A third option is to designate 15 June as an additional bank/public holiday, which would mean all non-essential services would shut down. This option would cost around £140,000.

Their report adds: “This represents the direct costs for overtime paid where staff are required to work on the public holiday, but it should also be recognised that there is an impact of the award of an extra day for all staff who do not have to work, but are receiving an additional paid day off.”

Meanwhile, some other councils in Scotland have begun issuing licence extensions for pubs to stay open for late-night games.

This matter has yet to come to a meeting of Shetland’s licensing board.