employees rights to paid and unpaid leave

Unpaid time off falls into 3 categories.

Unpaid leave granted by law:

• Jury service
• Magistrates (up to 13 full or 26 half days per year)
• Emergency time off for dependents
• Parental leave up to 18 weeks for children up to 18 years of age
• Right to attend antenatal appointments
• Defense Secretary call up notice (armed services).
• Carers’ leave – up to one week of unpaid leave per year to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need.
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Unpaid leave you have to give due consideration to by law:

• Training or study leave under Section 63D of the Employment Rights Act.

Unpaid leave that is at the discretion of the company:

• Career breaks
• Sabbatical
• Bereavement leave
• Compassionate leave
• Doctors dentist or hospital appointment

Do I have to give employees paid time off for doctors and dentists appointments ?

There is no legal right for an employee to have paid time off to attend any doctor, dentist or hospital appointment.

As a business you are well within your right to:

• Refuse time off
• Request appointments be made outside of normal work hours
• Request the employee take annual leave to cover the appointment
• Advise that attending these appointments will be on an unpaid basis
• Request that any time off must be made up at a later date.