Employers need to plan for employees volunteering at the 2012 Olympics to avoid issues. While employees have no automatic right to time off for Olympic duties, employers must decide whether to allow annual leave, unpaid leave, or additional paid leave. This could set a precedent for future events. With the Olympics occurring during summer holidays, employers may see increased annual leave requests and need a clear policy communicated in advance.

1. Olympic Games - Implications for Employers
Being a volunteer at the 2012 Olympic Games is being described as
a once in a lifetime opportunity, but what will that mean for
employers? Here, Julie Sykes of Huddersfield based JCS HR looks at
the implications and advises employers to start planning now to
avoid issues arising nearer the time!
“Many people have applied to be Games Makers at the Olympics, and those who are accepted as
volunteers will obviously require a substantial amount of time off from work. But are you obliged to give
them this time off? Do you have to pay them while they are volunteering?
Employees who are accepted as volunteers have no automatic right to take time off for selection
events, training sessions or the actual Olympics themselves. You need to decide whether employees will
be required to take the time as annual leave, or whether you are going to allow any additional leave -
paid or unpaid.
In deciding this you need to take care if any additional leave is allowed, because it might set a
precedent that would make it be difficult for the company to justify refusing additional leave for any
other important events in the future. Consistency is essential.
The whole leave situation is complicated by the fact that the Olympics take place during the school
summer holidays, which is always a busy time for employees taking annual leave. You need to plan for
how you will deal with a possible increase in requests from employees to take leave at this busy holiday
time, and you must communicate your policy clearly to employees - preferably well in advance.”
Games Makers – Facts & Figures
• Games Makers will be required to attend three separate training days prior to the Games - at the
moment the timing of these is unknown.
• Those who have volunteered to help at the Olympics are required to help for a minimum of 10
days.
• Those who volunteer to help at both the Olympics and Paralympics are required to help for a
minimum of 20 days.
For media information please contact Jenny Clayton @ point2pr on
07545 696713 / 01484 655233 or
email jenny@point2pr.com

2. • Dependant on working patterns, and when the training days and volunteering 'shifts' fall, this
could mean a requirement for 13 days leave, or if volunteering for both events, that potentially
rises to 23 days.
For more information on JCS HR visit http://www.jcs-hr.co.uk or call 01484 602708. You can also follow
Julie at http://www.twitter.com/@HRJulie.
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Notes to editors:
• Julie Sykes has worked in the human resources industry for 25 years.
• JCS HR Consulting is based in Huddersfield and services Yorkshire and Manchester areas.
• JCS HR provides consultancy across all sectors including manufacturing, government, media,
financial services, medical and engineering.
• JCS HR has provided consultancy for groups of up to 1000 people.
For media information please contact Jenny Clayton @ point2pr on
07545 696713 / 01484 655233 or
email jenny@point2pr.com