Having opportunities for authorized absence from work is ironically an integral part of being productive. It also aids in having a healthy balance between life at work and from work. Having your employers toil at every available minute is detrimental to their health and their productivity at work.
More than that, most types of authorized absences have the backing of the law, and it would be illegal to deny your employees that right. For employees, using authorized absences allows them to meet their obligations out of work, and it is vital for their mental health and overall satisfaction with their lives. Burnout is a real risk, and so too are illness, family needs, and deaths, among other things.
There are different kinds of authorized absences that both employers and employees should know about that address such needs. The main ones are:
1. Annual Leave
Annual leave is the most common type of authorized absence. All employees in the UK have a right to annual leave or holiday entitlement. Annual leave has the distinction of having the law prescribe the least amount of days an employee can get, which should amount to 5.6 weeks a year. You can find the number of days you are entitled to for your annual leave by multiplying the number of days you work per week by 5.6.
Thus, a full-time employee working five days a week is entitled to at least 28 days of annual leave. On the other hand, a part-time employee working, for example, three days a week gets a minimum of 16.8 days as annual leave.
You are also paid during annual leave at the full rate like normal working days, and you are entitled to your annual leave from the first day you start working. Employees have the discretion of offering extra leave on top of the statutory minimum leave, but they do not have to apply all of the statutory leave requirements.
2. Maternity and Paternity Leave
Maternity and Paternity leaves allow employees time off to be with their newborn babies. It is a right for every person in employment, both men and women. Men get two weeks of paternity leave while women get up to 52 weeks of maternity leave. Maternity and paternity leave also apply to adopted children or those born through surrogacy. The government protects the rights of employees with statutory maternity and paternity limits for time and pay and other rights.
Couples can also get shared parental leave, whereas eligible couples can share up to 50 weeks of parental leave. They will receive a shared percentage of their payment for 37 weeks of the 52.
How one splits the parental leave or when he/she starts it should be discussed with their employer while referring to the statutory parental leave days. Employees should also be aware of their rights, including accrued holidays, return to work, and pay rises. There is also a right to take paid time off for two antenatal appointments or two adoption appointments in the case of adoption.
3. Public Holidays
Public holidays are national holidays established by law. They are also known as bank holidays and are celebrated annually. In England, for instance, there are eight annual public holidays, including:
– New Year’s Day
– Good Friday
– Easter Monday
– Early May Bank Holiday
– Spring Bank Holiday
– Summer Bank Holiday
– Christmas Day
– Boxing Day
On top of these traditional public holidays, there are years where momentous occasions are added as public holidays for that year. For example, on June 3, 2022, the Queen will be celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, and it is set to be a bank holiday. Most employees get public holidays as a standard, while in some cases, employers count them as part of the statutory allowances. In other industries like retail and hospitality, employees still go to work during these days. They often get compensated through extra pay for these days or time off in lieu.
4. Compassionate Leave
Death is an unfortunate part of life, and when it happens, employees need time off to mourn their loved ones and come to terms with the losses. The law gives you the right to compassionate leave if your dependant dies.
However, your employer has the discretion to determine what is the reasonable amount of time off work that you need. Further, you do not have any legal entitlement for pay during this period, though most employers still pay usual rates if the leave request is for a few days.
5. Time Off for Public Duty
Taking time off for public duty is a legal right for all eligible employees, such as magistrates, local councilors, trade union members, members of school boards, and members of statutory tribunals, among others. If you are such an employee, you have a right to get time off to attend to public duties. However, the length of the absence is the discretion of the employer and depends on aspects like:
– The duration of the public duties
– How your absence will affect the business
– How much time off you have already taken for public duties
Taking leave for public duty also includes jury duty. The law requires all employers to give their employees time off for jury duties. However, you may ask for a delay of your jury service if your absence at that time seriously affects your employer’s business. You are not entitled to any payment from your employer during public duty time off, but some may choose to pay.
The above five are the kinds of authorized absences that have legal backing. However, they do not cover all situations where an employee can have justifiable cause to need time off work. Thus, many employment contracts have stipulations or workplace norms to provide an avenue for them. Such include:
– How much time off that you have already taken for public duties
– Time off in Lieu (TOIL): It is a work arrangement where an employee works several hours on top of what they are contracted to do, and in return, the employer grants them time off work amount to the extra hours on a future date.
– Conferences and Training Days: The employees are away from their workplaces but on company/work-related functions.
– The Death of Non-Dependants
– Sickness
– Medical Appointments: These include dental appointments.
Different contracts and workplace norms vary, so employers must make their policies on authorized absence clear. For employees, it is important to understand avenues available to them, what they are entitled to, and make use of them to attend to their other responsibilities. Authorized absences are also excellent opportunities to recharge, pursue hobbies, and address health issues, among other things.
This article is written by Tim Edwards, a writer for Timetastic. Timetastic offers absence management software to modern companies.
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