Part VI Time off work
F3Dependants
F1 57A Time off for dependants.
1
An employee is entitled to be permitted by his employer to take a reasonable amount of time off during the employee’s working hours in order to take action which is necessary—
a
to provide assistance on an occasion when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted,
b
to make arrangements for the provision of care for a dependant who is ill or injured,
c
in consequence of the death of a dependant,
d
because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependant, or
e
to deal with an incident which involves a child of the employee and which occurs unexpectedly in a period during which an educational establishment which the child attends is responsible for him.
2
Subsection (1) does not apply unless the employee—
a
tells his employer the reason for his absence as soon as reasonably practicable, and
b
except where paragraph (a) cannot be complied with until after the employee has returned to work, tells his employer for how long he expects to be absent.
3
Subject to subsections (4) and (5), for the purposes of this section “ dependant ” means, in relation to an employee—
a
a spouse F2or civil partner ,
b
a child,
c
a parent,
d
a person who lives in the same household as the employee, otherwise than by reason of being his employee, tenant, lodger or boarder.
4
For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) or (b) “ dependant ” includes, in addition to the persons mentioned in subsection (3), any person who reasonably relies on the employee—
a
for assistance on an occasion when the person falls ill or is injured or assaulted, or
b
to make arrangements for the provision of care in the event of illness or injury.
5
For the purposes of subsection (1)(d) “ dependant ” includes, in addition to the persons mentioned in subsection (3), any person who reasonably relies on the employee to make arrangements for the provision of care.
6
A reference in this section to illness or injury includes a reference to mental illness or injury.
Ss. 57A, 57B and heading inserted (15.12.1999) by 1999 c. 26, s. 8, Sch. 4 Pt. II; S.I. 1999/2830, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. II