New Legislation coming
The new right to carer’s leave
On 6 April 2024 the new Carer’s Leave Regulations 2024 will come into force. How much statutory carer’s leave will your employees be entitled to take in any twelve-month period and is this a paid or unpaid right?
A new right. In December 2023 the Carer’s Leave Regulations 2024 were laid before Parliament. These Regulations, which are due to come into force on 6 April 2024, set out the framework under which your employees will be able to take statutory carer’s leave. Whilst the right to such leave will be a day-one employment right, any time off that’s taken for this reason does not have to be paid, i.e unpaid statutory right.
How much? In any 12 month period, an employee will be able to apply to take up to one week’s unpaid carer’s leave if they have a dependant with a long-term care need and they wish to be absent from work.
Giving notice. Where an employee wishes to take carer’s leave, they will need to give you written notice of their intention and give you either 3 days notice or twice the amount of notice of the period of leave they have requested. They must not be subjected to any detriment or dismissed for this reason. Where an employee is dismissed on these grounds, it will be an automatically unfair dismissal.
Any objections? If an employee taking carers leave will unduly disrupt your business, you can give them notice of postponement.