University arrangements
- the agreed arrangements for time off for dealing with domestic emergencies and periods of acute caring responsibilities are set out in section 4 of the staff handbooks
- Parents have a statutory entitlement to up to 4 weeks unpaid parental leave (to a maximum of 18 per child). For those with other caring responsibilities the University's carer's leave scheme mirrors statutory unpaid parental leave
The statutory entitlement to time off for dependants
Under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996, employees who want to take time off for dependants are entitled to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off during normal working hours, provided they tell their departmental administrator (or equivalent) of the reasons for the absence as soon as reasonably practicable and specify for how long they expect to be absent (this may be done retrospectively if necessary).
Leave can be taken:
- to provide assistance on an occasion when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted
- to make arrangements for the provision of care for a dependant who is ill or injured
- in consequence of the death of a dependant
- because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependant
- to deal with an incident which involves a child of the employee and which occurs unexpectedly in a period during which an educational establishment which the child attends is responsible for him.
The term "dependant" is defined, in relation to an employee as:
- a spouse or civil partner
- a child
- a parent
- a person who lives in the same household as the employee, other than by reason of being their employee, tenant, lodger or boarder
For the purposes of (1) or (2) above, dependant also includes any person who reasonably relies on the employee:
- for assistance on an occasion when the person falls ill or is injured or assaulted, or
- to make arrangements for the provision of care in the event of illness or injury.
For the purposes of (4), dependant also includes any person who reasonably relies on the employee to make arrangements for the provision of care.
Employees may complain to an Employment Tribunal if they are denied leave or dismissed or subjected to a detriment for taking leave. If there are any queries on entitlement to this type of leave, therefore, departments are asked to contact their HR Business Partner for further information.
