Carers leave

Carer's Leave Policy

This policy sets out the statutory right of employees to Carer 's Leave. The aim is to ensure employees and managers understand the entitlement and process to follow.

Contents
1.0 Introduction to Carer’s Leave
2.0 Scope
3.0 Responsibilities
4.0 Amount of Carer’s leave that can be taken
5.0 Is Carer’s Leave paid?
6.0 Impact on pension contributions
7.0 How to request Carer’s leave
8.0 Other types of leave
9.0 Policy changes

 

If you have any questions about this policy, or require any further support, please contact the HR Team on 0115 914 8289 or by email to hr@rushcliffe.gov.uk

Please note:

• This policy applies to all employees within Rushcliffe Borough Council unless stated otherwise within the policy.
• This policy does not form part of contracts of employment.
• Rushcliffe Borough Council reserves the right to amend this policy from time to time.

1.0 Introduction to Carer’s Leave

We recognise the challenges that carers face while trying to balance the demands of caring, work, and looking after their own health. As an organisation, we are committed to doing what we can to help to ensure that the health and wellbeing of employees with caring responsibilities is looked after.

Carer’s leave is in place to allow eligible employees to take time off to provide or arrange care for a dependent with a long-term care need. The statutory right to Carer's leave is intended to be for planned and foreseen caring commitments.
The RBC guide – Unpaid Carers – Supporting our Employees gives greater detail on the definition of who is an unpaid carer and therefore eligible to take Carer’s leave.

2.0 Scope

All eligible staff are entitled to Carer’s leave from the first day of employment.

3.0 Responsibilities

3.1 Line Managers have the responsibility to ensure employees know where to find further information on Carer’s leave, understand an employee’s entitlement and work with an employee to support them and accommodate their request.

3.2 HR will ensure the Carer’s leave policy is in line with the statutory rights and entitlement and Line managers are trained to support employees.

3.3 Employees are responsible for requesting Carer’s leave with advance notice by completing the form and submitting to their line manager.

4.0 Amount of Carer’s leave that can be taken

4.1 The amount of Carer's leave that an employee can take is up to one week in any 12-month rolling period.

4.2 A week of Carer's leave is the same duration as the weekly contracted hours, meaning that a full-time employee is entitled to five days' Carer's leave in any 12-month rolling period. For example if an employee is contracted to work three days per week, they are entitled to three days of Carer's leave in any 12-month rolling period.

4.3 The leave can be taken in one continuous block, as individual days, or as half days.

4.4 If an employee is caring for more than one dependant, there is not a separate entitlement to carer's leave for each dependant.

5.0 Is Carer’s Leave paid?

5.1 There is no right to be paid when taking Carer’s leave, therefore any leave taken as Carer’s leave is unpaid.

5.2 Whilst salary will not be paid for the period an employee is off on Carer’s leave, other benefits will remain in place. For example, holiday entitlement continues to accrue.

6.0 Impact on pension contributions

6.1 Pension contributions are not made for periods that are unpaid, however if an employee wishes to top up the lost pension contributions this must be arranged within 30 days of them returning from Carers leave. The payroll team can provide a cost for the amount and will be able to schedule the repayments. Please contact HR to request the information.

7.0 How to request Carer’s leave

7.1 To give notice of a request to take Carer’s leave an employee completes Form and submits to their Line Manager. This form contains a declaration that will need to be signed by the employee. If an employee does not have access to the intranet please request the form from HR or the line manger.

7.2 We ask that an employee gives as much notice as possible when requesting carer's leave so that we can plan for the absence. The minimum notice that should be given in advance is either twice the number of working days that they wish to take as carer's leave, or three days, whichever is earlier.

7.3 All Carer's leave requests must be approved in advance by the line manager, the employee will be notified by the line manager that the request has been approved.

7.4 Whilst every effort will be made to meet an employee’s request, a line manager may postpone a period of carer's leave if it is considered that the absence will disrupt the operation of the business.

7.5 If a decision is taken to postpone the leave, the line manager will consult with their employee to find an alternative leave period within one month of the carer's leave period original requested.

7.6 The line manager will write to the employee within seven days of receiving the notice, clarifying the reason for the postponement and the revised dates on which the carer's leave can be taken.

8.0 Other types of leave

8.1 The statutory right to carer's leave is intended to be for planned and foreseen caring commitments. If an employee needs to take time off to manage an unexpected or sudden problems relating to a dependant and make any necessary longer-term caring arrangements, please read the Dependents Leave policy.

8.2 We recognise that some employees may need a longer period of time off work that goes beyond the statutory entitlement to carer's leave under this policy. In such cases, it may be more appropriate to take time off work as annual leave under the Annual leave policy.

8.3 We also have a separate Sabbatical leave policy, if the employee feels that they would benefit from an extended period of time away from work.

9.0 Policy changes

This policy is subject to change due to legislative or organisation requirements. Significant organisational requirement changes to this policy will be made in conjunction with Trade Union officials as per standard process.