{"id":3246,"date":"2023-03-31T09:10:26","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T09:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/?page_id=3246"},"modified":"2023-09-19T07:17:21","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T07:17:21","slug":"time-off","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/rules\/employment\/working\/time-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking Time Off Work Rules | Holidays, Sick, and Maternity"},"content":{"rendered":"

TIME-OFF FROM WORK<\/strong>: Taking leave of absence can include vacations, maternity and paternity leave, as well as sick leave.<\/p>\n

The laws of employment<\/a> give you the legal right to take time off work for certain situations. Even so, you may not always get paid for downtime.<\/p>\n

Generally, all employers pool a bank of hours for staff vacation days and time off for sickness.<\/p>\n

In most cases they will also make provisions for employees to have time off work for family reasons<\/a> and emergencies.<\/p>\n

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Important<\/strong>: Always check your contract of employment<\/a>. You may have extra rights than those listed in these employee time off work guidelines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Working Hours and Breaks<\/h2>\n

Arranging staff working hours is part of business management. It helps businesses, and its workers, to balance their duties in the workplace and at home.<\/p>\n

And how does that work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meeting the demands of 24\/7 is a balancing act between leisure time<\/a> and working time<\/a> regulations. So, it usually results in a more flexible approach to working hours and break times.<\/p>\n

Management are seeing the benefits of flexible starting and finishing times. As a result, it can include an increase in shift work, working at home, and job sharing.<\/p>\n

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Employment Law: Taking Time Off Work<\/h2>\n

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Bank Holidays<\/h3>\n

The UK bank holidays 2022 calendar<\/a> shows the next official public holiday. You can also check how many days off we observe nationwide around the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

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Employee Rights on Leave<\/h2>\n
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Career Breaks<\/h5>\n

None of the UK employment laws<\/a> deal ‘specifically’ with taking a career break. As a rule, career breaks<\/a> will be an agreement set up between an employer and their employee.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Emergency Leave<\/h5>\n

All employees can take time off for emergency leave<\/a> from work. Check out how much time you can take off to care for family and dependants.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jury Service<\/h5>\n

As an employer, you must follow certain laws when giving staff time off to attend jury service<\/a> or perform magistrate duty in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Paid Holiday<\/h5>\n

Information in the holiday pay entitlement<\/a> section is useful for workers and employers. Use the guide to check holiday pay rights and calculate leave entitlement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Public Duties<\/h5>\n

According to UK law you can take time off work for public duties<\/a> and services. Nonetheless, the rights and responsibilities for employers and employees varies.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Training and Study at Work<\/h5>\n

Check if you can ask for time off for study or training<\/a>, how to make the request, and how to respond to your employer’s decision.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Travel Disruptions<\/h5>\n

Find out how time off due to travel disruption<\/a> affects your rights. Check how journey disruptions, such as winter weather, can affect your holiday entitlement.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Maternity and Paternity Leave<\/h2>\n
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Maternity Allowance<\/h5>\n

Find out what it is and whether you qualify. The exact Maternity Allowance<\/a> amount you get depends on your eligibility.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Maternity Leave: Your Rights<\/h5>\n

A guide explaining employment entitlements while on leave<\/a>. Check what happens to employee rights if you take time off work and then return to your job.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Maternity Pay and Leave<\/h5>\n

In the UK, Statutory Maternity Pay<\/a> is for those who take time off work to have a baby. In most cases, you are eligible to claim your maternity rights as well as a range of benefits income.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: The Statutory Maternity Pay and Leave employer guide<\/a> explains everything that employers need to know, including eligibility criteria, entitlement rates, and how ‘notice periods’ work.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Maternity Planner<\/h5>\n

Find out how to calculate leave and pay for parents<\/a> after you have a child. The online guide helps you check whether you can get maternity leave.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: The Maternity, Adoption and paternity calculator for employers<\/a> is a GOV.UK tool used to calculate an employee’s maternity pay (SMP), paternity, or adoption pay.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave<\/h5>\n

Information in the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Leave employer guide<\/a> explains the eligibility criteria, entitlement rates, and how notice periods work.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Paternity Pay and Leave<\/h5>\n

Paid Paternity Leave is an entitlement for parents, adopters, or surrogates. Check how taking Paternity Pay and Leave<\/a> gives you an option for a brief spell off work.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: The Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave employer guide<\/a> explains everything that employers need to know, including eligibility criteria, entitlement rates, and how ‘notice periods’ work.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shared Parental Leave and Pay<\/h5>\n

The section about Shared Parental Leave (SPL)<\/a> explains how it gives mothers an option to end maternity leave and pay early.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: The Shared Parental Leave and Pay employer guide<\/a> explains employee eligibility, the entitlement rates, and how ‘splitting blocks of leave’ works.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave<\/h5>\n

Check the Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave employer guide<\/a> to find information on the eligibility criteria, entitlement rates, and how notice periods work.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Unpaid Parental Leave<\/h5>\n

View a guide about Unpaid Parental Leave<\/a> entitlement. The information covers employee parental leave eligibility and maternity leave notice periods.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Statutory Sick Pay<\/h2>\n
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ASP Guide<\/h5>\n

Farm workers get agricultural worker holiday entitlement and paid sick days too. But, they usually get Agricultural Sick Pay<\/a> (ASP) instead of SSP.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: You can use the GOV.UK website to calculate agricultural holiday entitlement<\/a> in England and in Wales.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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SSP Guides<\/h5>\n

How much Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)<\/a> you get depends on several key factors. SSP rates get paid by your employer if they do not run company sick pay for staff off work with illness.<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: Information in the employer guide to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)<\/a> covers eligibility criteria, current rate, and when to use fit notes and form SSP1.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Taking Sick Leave<\/h5>\n

Most employers have set methods for staff taking sick leave from work<\/a>. So what kind of proof of sickness does your employer need according to employment laws?<\/p>\n

Note<\/strong>: As an employer, you can calculate your employee’s statutory sick pay<\/a> using the online service via the GOV.UK website.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Working Time Regulations UK<\/h2>\n

The Working Time Regulations (WTR) govern the hours that most workers can work. Thus, in the United Kingdom they set out:<\/p>\n