Annual Leave 17.1 An employee shall be entitled to four weeks annual leave for each twelve months’ service with the Company, exclusive of public holidays. Annual leave accumulates monthly on a pro rata basis. 17.2 The annual leave entitlement for each part time employee shall be calculated pro rata according to the ordinary hours he or she actually works. 17.3 The time of giving and taking of leave shall be by mutual arrangement between the Company and the employee concerned. 17.4 The Company may direct an employee to take annual leave during any shut down, including any such shut down over the Christmas and New Year period, provided the employee has an accrued annual leave balance that will at least cover the period of the shut down. 17.5 The Company may direct an employee to take up to a quarter of his or her total accrued annual leave entitlement if the employee’s accrued annual leave entitlement exceeds 8 weeks. 17.6 Payment for annual leave shall be made at the relevant minimum rate of pay in clause 19 – Minimum wages, plus a loading of 17.5 per cent on that rate of pay. 17.7 The Company may allow annual leave to be taken by an employee before the right thereto has accrued due. 17.8 An employee has no entitlement to the payment of the loading, when annual leave is taken wholly or partly in advance, until an entitlement accrues due and the loading is then payable in respect of the period of such leave and is calculated on the relevant minimum rate of pay in clause 19 – Minimum wages, payable at the accruing of the entitlement. 17.9 Where leave has been granted to an employee before the leave has accrued due, the Company may deduct the balance of the payment to the employee for that leave period from whatever remuneration is payable to him or her upon the cessation of employment. 17.10 An employee whose employment is terminated by the Company or who lawfully leaves the employment shall be entitled to a pro rata payment calculated on his or her relevant minimum rate of pay in clause 19 – Minimum wages, for the period in respect of which annual leave has not been taken, provided that the loading in clause 17.6 shall only be paid in respect of paid out annual leave for employees who have been employed for a minimum 12 months with the Company.