These new regulations, effective from 6 April 2024, are designed to assist employees in balancing their professional and personal obligations by granting them the right to take up to one week of unpaid leave in any 12-month period to provide or arrange care for dependants with long-term care needs and not to be dismissed or victimised for doing so.
Key Features of the Regulations
- Leave Entitlement: Employees are entitled to take up to one week of unpaid leave in any 12-month period to provide care or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need.
- Flexible Usage: The leave does not need to be taken in one continuous block. The minimum duration for a single period of leave is half a day, offering flexibility to employees in managing their care responsibilities.
- Notice Requirements: Employees wishing to take carer’s leave must give their employer notice of at least three days or twice the amount of leave they intend to take, whichever is greater. This provision ensures employers have adequate time to make necessary adjustments.
- Employer’s Right to Refuse: While the regulation supports employees, it also considers the potential impact on businesses. Employers can refuse a leave request if they believe it would unduly disrupt business operations. However, they can only postpone the leave for up to one month.
Read our full article on The Carers Leave Act 2023 for more information on the statutory entitlement.
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