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Carer's Leave

The Family Leave Policies encompasses a wide range of policies, including the employee benefits, obligations and arrangements for Carer's Leave. This page details the time off work entitlement an employee is able to access for the provision of planned care.

Link to Carer's Leave Policy

Benefits and Obligations

There are certain employee benefits and employer and employee obligations which apply across all Family Leave Policies. 

Please see the Family Leave Policies - Benefits and Obligations page for more information. 


Definitions

Please see the Family Leave Policies - Definitions page for a full list of definitions applicable to all included policies.


Contents

Carer’s Leave is time off work to provide or arrange planned care for a dependent who has long term care needs.


Qualifying for Carer’s Leave 

In line with statutory requirements, all employees, regardless of their length of service, are entitled to a “week” of unpaid leave per year (a week means the length of time usually worked over 7 days) to give or arrange care for a “dependant” who has:

  • a physical or mental illness or injury that means they’re expected to need care for more than 3 months
  • a disability (as defined in the Equality Act 2010)
  • care needs because of their old age 

Carer’s Leave can be taken as a whole week or as individual days or half days throughout the year. 

If an employee needs to care for more than one person, they cannot take a week of carer’s leave for each dependant. They can only take one week every 12 months. They can use the week of leave on more than one dependant.

A dependant is the partner, child or parent of the employee, or someone who lives with the employee as part of their family.  For example, this could be an elderly aunt or grandparent who lives in the household.  It does not include tenants or boarders living in the family home, or someone who lives in the household as an employee, for example, a live-in housekeeper.

In cases of illness, injury, or where care arrangements break down, a dependant may also be someone who reasonably relies on the employee for assistance.  This may be where the employee is the primary carer or is the only person who can help in an emergency.   

Notifying ESC

Employees should provide notice that they want to take carer’s leave before they want their leave to start. If the request is for a half day or a day, the notice period must be at least 3 days. If the request is for more than one day, the notice period must be at least twice as long as the requested leave. For example, if the request is for 2 days, the notice period must be at least 4 days. The notice period needs to be in full days, even if the request includes half day amounts.

Minimum Notice Requirements

Number of days requested

Minimum notice required

Half a day to 1 day

3 days' notice

1.5 to 2 days

4 days' notice

2.5 to 3 days

6 days' notice

3.5 to 4 days

8 days' notice

4.5 to 5 days

10 days' notice

The request does not have to be in writing and employees do not need to give evidence of their dependant’s care needs.

Postponing Carer’s Leave 

There may be occasions when ESC may ask an employee to take their requested leave at a different time to avoid causing serious disruption to the organisation. However, every attempt will be made to avoid postponement. 

If postponement is necessary, ESC will consult with the employee to agree an alternative date within one month of the original requested date and put the reason for the delay and new date in writing within 7 days of the original request, and before the requested start date of the leave. 

Employees should note that any time off taken under this policy will be without pay.

ESC will ensure that an employee will not be subjected to a detriment, disadvantage, unfair treatment or dismissal because of absence on Carer’s Leave. Please refer to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

Employees should be aware that where there is any suspicion that a claim has been made fraudulently, this will be investigated in line with the Disciplinary Policy and, if found to have occurred, may be subject to Disciplinary measures.

A full policy Impact Assessment and details of policy version control can be found within the Family Leave Policies  page.