Carer's Leave Act 2023
The Carer's Leave Act 2023 grants employees with caring responsibilities the right to take one week of unpaid leave per year from day one of employment.
Who is affected: Employees with caring responsibilities for a dependant with a long-term care need, and all employers in Great Britain
What Changed
The Carer's Leave Act 2023 inserts new provisions into the Employment Rights Act 1996 giving employees who are carers for a dependant with a long-term care need (lasting more than three months, or relating to a disability) the right to take up to one week of unpaid leave per rolling 12-month period, without the need to provide evidence of their caring responsibilities. The leave can be taken as individual days, half-days, or as a block of up to one week. Employees have the right not to be dismissed, subjected to a detriment, or made redundant for taking or seeking to take carer's leave. The regulations implementing the Act came into force on 6 April 2024.
What To Do
Employers should update their leave policies to include carer's leave entitlement and ensure that line managers understand that employees do not need to provide evidence of their caring role. Employees who are carers should give notice equal to twice the number of days requested (or three days, whichever is greater) before taking leave, though the employer cannot postpone leave indefinitely and must agree an alternative date. HR teams should check that the new entitlement is reflected in employee handbooks.