Epwin Absence line: 0300 303 3984

Leave for other reasons

Time off for dependants

The agreed arrangements for time off for dealing with domestic emergencies and periods of acute caring responsibilities are set out in section 4 of the staff handbooks. Parents have a statutory entitlement to up to 4 weeks unpaid parental leave (to a maximum of 18 per child). For those with other caring responsibilities the Group mirrors statutory unpaid parental leave.

The statutory entitlement to time off for dependants

Under the provisions of the Employment Relations Act 1999, employees who want to take time off for dependants are entitled to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off during normal working hours, provided they tell their line manager of the reasons for the absence as soon as reasonably practicable and specify for how long they expect to be absent.

Leave can be taken:

  • To provide assistance on an occasion when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted
  • To make arrangements for the provision of care for a dependant who is ill or injured in consequence of the death of a dependant because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependant 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.

The term “dependant” is defined, in relation to an employee as:

  • a spouse or civil partner
  • a child
  • a parent
  • a person who lives in the same household as the employee, other than by reason of being their employee, tenant, lodger or boarder

For the purposes of (1) or (2) above, dependant also includes any person who reasonably relies on the employee:

  • for assistance on an occasion when the person falls ill or is injured or assaulted, or
  • to make arrangements for the provision of care in the event of illness or injury.
  • For the purposes of (4), dependant also includes any person who reasonably relies on the employee to make arrangements for the provision of care.

Compassionate / Bereavement Leave

The Group will allow compassionate leave for employees to attend the funeral of relatives as in the following paragraphs unless covered by separate agreement. Manager’s will authorise the arrangements and agreed leave and notify the HR Team.

  • In the event of death of a husband, wife, partner or child of an employee, you can grant up to five days paid leave.
  • In the event of death of a parent, step-parent, parent- in-law, brother, sister, step-brother or step-sister, you can grant up to three days paid leave.
  • Parents who lose a child under the age of 18 have a specific statutory entitlement to two weeks parental bereavement leave.
  • In the event of death of a grandparent, or brother/ sister in law, you can grant up to one day of paid leave.

Time off with or without pay in respect of anybody else will be at the discretion of the Manager. Any extension to bereavement leave is at the absolute discretion of the Senior Manager.

Extended leave

You may be granted unpaid leave in some circumstances, where practicable. Permission for this must be obtained from your Manager before such leave is taken. The granting of extended leave will be dependent on:

  • The operational requirements of the Company
  • The acceptability of the employee’s reasons for wanting the extended leave
  • The employee’s absence record
  • Any failure on the part of the employee to return on time from holiday or extended leave in the past
  • Any other relevant factors

No more than two weeks’ extended leave will usually be granted at any one time. Extended leave will only be granted where the full entitlement to annual holiday has already been taken or booked, although extended leave may be taken in conjunction with annual holiday. Holiday will not continue to accrue whilst on extended leave and no Public holiday payment will be made during this time.

Medical/dentist/hospital appointments

You should arrange your appointments outside your normal working hours wherever possible, in order to minimise disruption to the business. Where this is not possible, a reasonable amount of time off without pay will be granted for the purpose of attending appointments for:

  • Doctor
  • Dentist
  • Hospital
  • Optician
  • Consultant Specialists

The only exception to this is for a female employee to attend antenatal care and other pregnancy related appointments, in which case, such time off will be with pay, subject to proof of such appointments being produced, if requested. If the appointment is likely to result in more than 2 hours absence from work, employees should contact the Epwin Absence line: 0300 303 3984

You must notify your manager of any appointment as far in advance as possible, and you must produce proof of the appointment, if requested.

In spite of the above provisions, the Group reserves the right to limit the amount of time off that is granted.

Absence for other reasons

As a witness

In the event you are being subpoenaed as a witness, leave of absence will be granted. Leave will be with pay, to be paid at basic rate less any loss of earnings paid by the Court, evidence of which must be provided to the HR Team.

Jury service

The Company recognises the civic responsibility of its staff to perform jury service. The Group encourages employees to serve on juries and allows them to do so without financial loss providing the above notification requirements are followed. Employee’s should notify the Line Manager and the HR Team immediately they are asked to report for jury service. They should provide a copy of the letter, which summons you to attend for such service.

If the employee is not required for jury service for a full day or even half a day, they should report to work if possible.

You will be expected to claim all allowances to which they are entitled from the Court. The Company will pay your normal basic pay less the loss of earnings they receive. Proof of loss of earnings received should be handed in to the HR Team.

Reserve Forces

Leave to attend training camps may be granted where applicable. Employees may be granted a maximum of two week’s leave per year without pay.

Fire/lifeboat service – part time members

Reasonable unpaid time off may be granted but this may exclude, for example, key operators. Periods of absence on duty calls will be without pay.

Civic and public duties

Reasonable unpaid time off will be granted to employees who have been elected to perform public duties as defined under current legislation. The Company reserves the right to define the word “reasonable”.

If there are any queries on entitlements to leave, plesase contact the HR Team for further information