British employees will have a legal right to extra time off work if they become ill while on holiday leave, a newspaper says.
Regulations due to come in under European law will also protect time off for staff on maternity and paternity leave, it was reported.
If workers are struck down by sickness during annual leave, employers will be obliged to give them the extra time off if they produce a sick note, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The changes, which mean workers are guaranteed at least four weeks of holiday a year, will take effect in October and are expected to cost businesses more than £100 million (NZD$191 million) a year, it said.
Many companies already operate such a policy but the changes will come into force for all from October, sparking fears about the burden placed on smaller firms.