POAL How to apply

[rogersh]

As indicated in the "Union Room " forum ;
The letter states; Auto- renewal of POAL has been switched off....... "Consider what POAL you might want for next year, as you can still apply for it.

How to apply
The option to purchase additional holiday opens each year on the first Monday in October and remains open until the end of FEBRUARY
After February, no further changes can be accepted for the following holiday year.

Once the agreement is in place, it continues for the full holiday year and can only be cancelled from the beginning of a new holiday year
Holiday purchase arrangements will automatically continue until an employee reaches the desired level of annual holiday through length of service, or a change of grade

To apply for additional annual holiday:
• Where an employee has access to PSP, Me at Work they should apply through the Pay & Benefits – POAL option
• Employees who do not have access to PSP should ask their line manager for an application form:
o Purchase of Annual Holiday HR Services (HR)
o Purchase of Annual Holiday – OPG / OSG / Engineering grades

• The manager will check that the employee is eligible and will process their request to purchase additional annual holiday via the PSP system – Manage my team, selecting Pay and Benefits, Remuneration Information, Related Actives then POAL Window
• The employee should receive confirmation from their manager that their request has been accepted
• A variation of contract will be produced by HR Services and sent to the employee’s home address
• Where they do not meet the criteria, the employee will be advised of the reasons why the request has been declined. This will be via Me at Work or, where the employee does not have access, from their manager

[R5001]

Pretty sure the window open in January, not october, I think they f****d up. IT shows up as a tile on the people app when its available.

[rogersh]

The info was dated 2019, so I will look out on the people app if you say it has changed since then.

[A2B]

I don't think anyone knows what's going on with POAL at the moment

POAL - ROYALMAILCHAT https://share.google/VqjdbgGEWEeZr0hdk

[kazardaimenu]

Got a letter (rare for many right now) that basically said wait for updates early next year.

[Pidleypoo]

Does anyone from the union want to actually come out and tell us what’s going on with this?

These are the things we pay subs for ffs

Is there a possibility that poal is revoked ?

[TopperGas]

Does anyone from the union want to actually come out and tell us what’s going on with this?

These are the things we pay subs for ffs

Is there a possibility that poal is revoked ?

I can't see how new contracts can get POAL as it would take them below the minimum wage again next year, if that's the case how can they give legacy contracts POAL if new contracts can have it?

[RHONE]

Sorry union is closed until Jan 5th

[rogersh]

IMG_20251209_201212.jpg

[A2B]

Does the Benefits Team actually work for RM or is it outsourced because our manager doesn't know how to book POAL and the local rep has been told that there is no information if it will continue or not

[Pidleypoo]

Does anyone from the union want to actually come out and tell us what’s going on with this?

These are the things we pay subs for ffs

Is there a possibility that poal is revoked ?

I can't see how new contracts can get POAL as it would take them below the minimum wage again next year, if that's the case how can they give legacy contracts POAL if new contracts can have it?

If that happens then that’s absurd.

[yellowbelly]

Does anyone from the union want to actually come out and tell us what’s going on with this?

These are the things we pay subs for ffs

Is there a possibility that poal is revoked ?

What extra information could the CWU add to the letter that has been published by Royal Mail Benefits team?

[Martin Walsh]

I rarely post on this site nowadays but I want to clarify the issue with POAL.

It has nothing to do with the union supporting or not supporting the purchase of annual leave or my bundle items. We are talking about the minimum wage legislation.

The legislation was bought in to route out bad employers has now caught out those who use the benefits of salary sacrifice to purchase additional annual leave or items from my bundle.

The increases in the minimum wage has meant that there is a difficulty for some who purchase annual leave using salary sacrifice.

The HMRC only count an individual’s hourly rate after salary sacrifice and don’t taken into account a permanent supplement or shift or pensionable allowance.

So if an individual purchases say £50 per week annual leave , insurance from my bundle and maybe the purchase of a bike it does not count this money in terms of the minimum wage.

Instead it only counts what is gross after salary sacrifice and does not take into account other week payments only your basic.

This is why Royal Mail stepped in from April to pay for annual leave and my bundle as it would be a huge embarrassment from Royal Mail to be in breach of the minimum wage legislation.

The minimum wage legislation does not take into account the fact that Royal Mail pay 13% pension contributions, annual leave , sick leave , holiday pay or supplements etc.

So the law is what stopping some from accessing salary sacrifice for purchasing my bundle or annual leave.

Royal Mail and the CWU have been in talks to ensure that if an individual does not qualify for salary sacrifice then they still will have the opportunity to purchase annual leave up to 6 weeks but without using the benefit of the salary sacrifice and providing they do not drop below the minimum wage current hourly rate.

There are also attendance patterns such as Wallingtons which because they work additional hours within a week to get their week off who will be a risk from being below the minimum wage as they get the same pay each week. So for example if they work 46 hours every week to get their sixth week off the minimum wage is calculated after gross against 45 hours which equals your hourly rate.

So to be clear we have agreed that the purchase of annual leave will continue we are now reviewing the best method for individuals to do so without using salary sacrifice and without falling below the minimum wage hourly rate.

In terms of my bundle Royal Mail are reviewing this to see what will be available in the future such as car purchases etc.

We believe longer term that the government should calculate the minimum wage using the amount that an individual has volunteered to have deducted from salary sacrifice also using such things as any weekly supplement and shift allowance.

[Hitcher]

We believe longer term that the government should calculate the minimum wage using the amount that an individual has volunteered to have deducted from salary sacrifice also using such things as any weekly supplement and shift allowance.

Or better yet, get them added to the basic rate of pay.

[Runnerdan]

In simple terms, do I need to do anything right now to get the POAL back? Or do we need to wait until told we can do it again?