Carer’s leave has been available from 6 April 2024. It’s a new right, permitting employees from day one of their employment to take up to one week’s leave per year, to provide care, or to assist someone who is dependent on them, where they have a long-term care need.
Key points on Carer’s leave:
- Carer’s leave will be available from the first day of employment
- Carer’s leave will be unpaid
- The right to carer’s leave is intended for planned activities or assistance provided by an employee to somebody dependent upon them, where they have a long term care need
- Carer’s leave is not the same as time off for dependants leave, which is for emergency situations only
- It is possible to postpone carer’s leave for up to one month where it would unduly disrupt the employer’s business
- In deciding whether to allow the time off, the employer can consider whether the required notice has been given for the requested carer’s leave
- Employees can take a maximum of one week of carer’s leave per rolling 12month period
- An employee can make a complaint to the employment tribunal that they have suffered a detriment or been dismissed due to taking carer’s leave
- Dismissing an employee for taking carer’s leave will be automatically unfair
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