[UK] Long-serving employee awarded £400,000 for decades of unpaid holiday

In the UK, an employment tribunal has awarded more than £400,000 to a long‑serving employee who accumulated more than 800 days of unused annual leave, Employee Benefits reports.

Mossadek Ageli joined property management firm Sabtina in 1987 as deputy managing director and later became the commercial manager. He was entitled to 30 days’ holiday each year, but persistent staff shortages meant his requests for time off were repeatedly declined. Mr Ageli agreed to take pay instead for the leave he could not take.

He reportedly took no holiday at all between 1987 and 1989 because only he and a personal assistant were working full‑time and were required to keep operations running. Between 1988 and 1996, Mr Ageli was refused a further 200 days of leave. He emailed senior staff multiple times requesting payment because he was unable to use the leave he had accrued.

He received payments in lieu of holiday in 2001 and 2004, totalling more than £30,000. After this, it was agreed that he would keep a record of any unused leave, which would be carried forward each year. Mr Ageli told the tribunal that although he had the authority to approve payments himself, he chose not to do so. 

He said, “[Sabtina] does not have a pension scheme for the employees, and both myself and my PA were saving the holidays we could not have for when needed or at retirement.”

Mr Ageli reportedly stated that, despite being the organisation’s sole signatory for more than two decades, he refrained from authorising payments for himself or his PA, “I was relying on receiving these payments.”

In May 2022, Sabtina’s board was replaced, and Mr Ageli’s responsibilities were gradually reduced. He told the tribunal this left him with “no current official save for being an employee”. In March 2024, he received an email from the director saying he had been summarily dismissed for gross misconduct. The organisation said disciplinary concerns had been raised previously, but the tribunal found the dismissal came out of the blue. 

Mr Ageli was informed that he would not receive payment for 827 days of outstanding holiday. His appeal was rejected and he subsequently brought a claim for unfair dismissal. 

Employment judge Alliott reportedly concluded that Sabtina had no genuine belief that he had committed gross misconduct, noting that the organisation had not been able to provide any clear explanation for its decision.

In addition, the judge ruled that the process was “clearly procedurally unfair” as Mr Ageli had not been informed of the allegations, shown any evidence, or given the chance to respond at a disciplinary hearing or appeal.

Sabtina was ordered to pay £91,489.73 for unfair dismissal and £391,942.77 for unpaid holiday.

Source: Employee Benefits

(Quotes via original reporting)

In the UK, an employment tribunal has awarded more than £400,000 to a long‑serving employee who accumulated more than 800 days of unused annual leave, Employee Benefits reports.

Mossadek Ageli joined property management firm Sabtina in 1987 as deputy managing director and later became the commercial manager. He was entitled to 30 days’ holiday each year, but persistent staff shortages meant his requests for time off were repeatedly declined. Mr Ageli agreed to take pay instead for the leave he could not take.

He reportedly took no holiday at all between 1987 and 1989 because only he and a personal assistant were working full‑time and were required to keep operations running. Between 1988 and 1996, Mr Ageli was refused a further 200 days of leave. He emailed senior staff multiple times requesting payment because he was unable to use the leave he had accrued.

He received payments in lieu of holiday in 2001 and 2004, totalling more than £30,000. After this, it was agreed that he would keep a record of any unused leave, which would be carried forward each year. Mr Ageli told the tribunal that although he had the authority to approve payments himself, he chose not to do so. 

He said, “[Sabtina] does not have a pension scheme for the employees, and both myself and my PA were saving the holidays we could not have for when needed or at retirement.”

Mr Ageli reportedly stated that, despite being the organisation’s sole signatory for more than two decades, he refrained from authorising payments for himself or his PA, “I was relying on receiving these payments.”

In May 2022, Sabtina’s board was replaced, and Mr Ageli’s responsibilities were gradually reduced. He told the tribunal this left him with “no current official save for being an employee”. In March 2024, he received an email from the director saying he had been summarily dismissed for gross misconduct. The organisation said disciplinary concerns had been raised previously, but the tribunal found the dismissal came out of the blue. 

Mr Ageli was informed that he would not receive payment for 827 days of outstanding holiday. His appeal was rejected and he subsequently brought a claim for unfair dismissal. 

Employment judge Alliott reportedly concluded that Sabtina had no genuine belief that he had committed gross misconduct, noting that the organisation had not been able to provide any clear explanation for its decision.

In addition, the judge ruled that the process was “clearly procedurally unfair” as Mr Ageli had not been informed of the allegations, shown any evidence, or given the chance to respond at a disciplinary hearing or appeal.

Sabtina was ordered to pay £91,489.73 for unfair dismissal and £391,942.77 for unpaid holiday.

Source: Employee Benefits

(Quotes via original reporting)