Section 47C — Leave for family and domestic reasons.

(1) [F1 An employee has the right not to be subjected to any detriment by any act, or any deliberate failure to act, by his employer done for a prescribed reason.]

(2) [F1 A prescribed reason is one which is prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State and which relates to—]

(a) [F1 pregnancy, childbirth or maternity,]

(aa) [F1 [F2 time off under section 57ZE,]]

(ab) [F1 [F3 time off under section 57ZJ or 57ZL,]]

(b) [F1 ordinary, compulsory or additional maternity leave,]

(ba) [F1 [F4 ordinary or additional adoption leave,]]

(bb) [F1 [F5 shared parental leave,]]

(bc) [F1 [F6 carer’s leave,]]

(c) [F1 parental leave,]

(ca) [F1 [F7 ... paternity leave,]]

(cb) [F1 [F8 parental bereavement leave,]]

(cc) [F1 [F9 neonatal care leave,] or]

(d) [F1 time off under section 57A.]

(3) [F1 A reason prescribed under this section in relation to parental leave may relate to action which an employee takes, agrees to take or refuses to take under or in respect of a collective or workforce agreement.]

(4) [F1 Regulations under this section may make different provision for different cases or circumstances.]

(5) [F1 [F10 An agency worker has the right not to be subjected to any detriment by any act, or any deliberate failure to act, by the temporary work agency or the hirer done on the ground that—]]

(a) [F1 [F10 being a person entitled to—]]

(i) [F1 [F10 time off under section 57ZA, and]]

(ii) [F1 [F10 remuneration under section 57ZB in respect of that time off,]]

[F1 [F10 the agency worker exercised (or proposed to exercise) that right or received (or sought to receive) that remuneration,]]

(b) [F1 [F10 being a person entitled to time off under section 57ZG, the agency worker exercised (or proposed to exercise) that right,]]

(c) [F1 [F10 being a person entitled to—]]

(i) [F1 [F10 time off under section 57ZN, and]]

(ii) [F1 [F10 remuneration under section 57ZO in respect of that time off,]]

[F1 [F10 the agency worker exercised (or proposed to exercise) that right or received (or sought to receive) that remuneration, or]]

(d) [F1 [F10 being a person entitled to time off under section 57ZP, the agency worker exercised (or proposed to exercise) that right.]]

(6) [F1 [F10 Subsection (5) does not apply where the agency worker is an employee.]]

(7) [F1 [F10 In this section the following have the same meaning as in the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 ( S.I. 2010/93)— “agency worker”; “hirer”; “temporary work agency”.]]

Amendment notes

1. F1 S. 47C inserted (15.12.1999) by 1999 c. 26, s. 9, Sch. 4 Pt. III para. 8; S.I. 1999/2830, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. II (with Sch. 3 paras. 10, 11)
2. F2 S. 47C(2)(aa) inserted (30.6.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 127(2)(a), 139(6); S.I. 2014/1640, art. 3(1)(i)
3. F3 S. 47C(2)(ab) inserted (30.6.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 128(2)(a), 139(6); S.I. 2014/1640, art. 3(1)(j)
4. F4 S. 47C(2)(ba) inserted (8.12.2002) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 53, Sch. 7 para. 26(2); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. 2
5. F5 S. 47C(2)(bb) inserted (30.6.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 7 para. 31(a); S.I. 2014/1640, art. 3(2)(g)
6. F6 S. 47C(2)(bc) inserted (4.12.2023) by Carer’s Leave Act 2023 (c. 18), s. 3(3), Sch. para. 5; S.I. 2023/1283, reg. 2
7. F7 S. 47C(2)(ca) substituted (3.3.2010) by Work and Families Act 2006 (c. 18), ss. 11, 19, Sch. 1 para. 30; S.I. 2010/495, art. 3(c)
8. F8 S. 47C(2)(cb) inserted (18.1.2020) by Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 (c. 24), s. 2(2), Sch. para. 22; S.I. 2020/45, reg. 2
9. F9 S. 47C(2)(cc) inserted (17.1.2025) by Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 (c. 20), s. 3(3), Sch. para. 22; S.I. 2025/41, reg. 2
10. F10 S. 47C(5)-(7) inserted (1.10.2014 for specified purposes, 5.4.2015 for specified purposes) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 129(1), 139(6); S.I. 2014/1640, arts. 4(b), 6(e)