Section 57A — Time off for dependants.

(1) [F1 An employee is entitled to be permitted by his employer to take a reasonable amount of time off during the employee’s working hours in order to take action which is necessary—]

(a) [F1 to provide assistance on an occasion when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted,]

(b) [F1 to make arrangements for the provision of care for a dependant who is ill or injured,]

(c) [F1 in consequence of the death of a dependant,]

(d) [F1 because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependant, or]

(e) [F1 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.]

(2) [F1 Subsection (1) does not apply unless the employee—]

(a) [F1 tells his employer the reason for his absence as soon as reasonably practicable, and]

(b) [F1 except where paragraph (a) cannot be complied with until after the employee has returned to work, tells his employer for how long he expects to be absent.]

(3) [F1 Subject to subsections (4) and (5), for the purposes of this section “ dependant ” means, in relation to an employee— ]

(a) [F1 a spouse [F2 or civil partner] ,]

(b) [F1 a child,]

(c) [F1 a parent,]

(d) [F1 a person who lives in the same household as the employee, otherwise than by reason of being his employee, tenant, lodger or boarder.]

(4) [F1 For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) or (b) “ dependant ” includes, in addition to the persons mentioned in subsection (3), any person who reasonably relies on the employee— ]

(a) [F1 for assistance on an occasion when the person falls ill or is injured or assaulted, or]

(b) [F1 to make arrangements for the provision of care in the event of illness or injury.]

(5) [F1 For the purposes of subsection (1)(d) “ dependant ” includes, in addition to the persons mentioned in subsection (3), any person who reasonably relies on the employee to make arrangements for the provision of care. ]

(6) [F1 A reference in this section to illness or injury includes a reference to mental illness or injury.]

Amendment notes

1. F1 Ss. 57A, 57B and heading inserted (15.12.1999) by 1999 c. 26, s. 8, Sch. 4 Pt. II; S.I. 1999/2830, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. II
2. F2 Words in s. 57A(3)(a) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), ss. 261(1), 263, Sch. 27 para. 151; S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2(2) (Subject to art. 2(3)-(5))