{"id":177110,"date":"2022-10-14T12:37:31","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T11:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=177110"},"modified":"2022-10-21T05:30:12","modified_gmt":"2022-10-21T04:30:12","slug":"employee-time-off-for-dependants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/employment\/employee-time-off-for-dependants\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Key Points an Employer Needs to Know About Taking Time Off for Dependants in England"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an employer, there will be times when your employees need to take time off work to care for their dependents. You may be less clear about what your obligations are in this respect. For instance, are they entitled to a separate entitlement to care for their family? Generally, your employees have a legal right to take time away from work to help certain dependents where the dependent suffers an unexpected disruption or emergency. The right to take time off only exists where the length of absence is reasonable, and the reason is necessary. You may hear this referred to as compassionate leave. This right exists regardless of the length of your employee\u2019s service. Thus, even if they do not have two full years of service, they are entitled to care for dependents under certain circumstances. This article will explain five things that you as an employer need to know about staff taking time off to care for dependants in England.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding the Definition of a Dependant\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

To understand the rules about your employee\u2019s legal right to take time off work when an unexpected event occurs to help a dependant, you need to understand what a dependant is. The law may consider the following relations dependents:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Spouse<\/b><\/td>\nA spouse includes a civil partner.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Child\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\nThis includes children of your employee\u2019s spouse who are not the employee\u2019s biological children.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Grandchild\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\nThis includes grandchildren of your employee\u2019s spouse, but only if they live with your employee.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Parent<\/b><\/td>\nThis can include step-parents<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Certain individuals living with you\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\nThese can be other family or close relations such as nephews, nieces, cousins, etc., provided they live with your employee.\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vulnerable relations that rely upon you\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\nThese individuals must solely rely on your employee for care \u2014 for instance, an elderly neighbour living by themselves that falls and breaks a leg.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Compassionate care is distinct from <\/span>parental leave<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reasonable and Necessary<\/span><\/h2>\n

These are two related conditions that the employee must satisfy. An employee is entitled to take reasonable time off where it is necessary to do so. The law specifies circumstances that permit an employee to take compassionate care, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. to provide assistance if their dependent falls ill, gives birth, is injured, or assaulted;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. to make care arrangements for an ill or injured dependent;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. where the dependent has died (note this may be distinct from <\/span>bereavement<\/span><\/a>);\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. to sort out unexpected disruptions to the care of the dependent;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. where the dependent is the employee\u2019s child, to respond to an unexpected incident at the child\u2019s school.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n Continue reading this article below the form\n <\/i>\n<\/a>\n
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