Leap Year: Why you won't be paid for working Leap Days

If you don't like the idea of working for free, Monday really isn't your day.

That's because it's a leap year and 29 February only comes round once every four years.

There are lots of myths about this special day - including whether a woman can propose to a man.

But possibly the most pressing question is: "Am I getting paid for working an extra day?" And that all depends on just how you get your salary.

Well... it is a leap year

Firstly, if you are paid by the hour or by the day in the UK, you will be paid for working on 29 February.

However, for those of you on an annual salary, the answer is more complicated because you are probably paid a set amount for a year - including a leap year.

Gary Webb, who is from Bond Payroll Services, tells Newsbeat: "What happens is you get 1/12 of your annual salary every month, regardless of how many days are in the month."

That's sounding suspiciously like people will be out of pocket.

"One could argue that hourly workers may be slightly better off because they are paid for the extra day, but then there are benefits of being an annual person as well," says Gary.

Although you might not feel like that today.

But wouldn't it be better to give 29 February some special, protected status - to allow for a lie-in on a cold Monday February morning?

There are campaigns for 29 February to become a bank holiday, including a government petition which claims the average salaried person loses £113.

At the time of writing it had around 500 signatures; it will need 10,000 signatures before for the Government needs to respond.

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