Teachers’ strike: employees’ rights to time off

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Thousands of employers and their staff face disruption today as teachers strike over pay, pensions and working conditions. Many schools have been closed or are running on reduced teaching capacity after members of the two largest teaching unions - the National Union of Teachers and the NASUWT - voted in favour of strike action. According to XpertHR guidance, employees who need to take time off to care for dependents who cannot attend school can ask to take time out of their normal holiday entitlement. In addition, employees are entitled to a reasonable amount of unpaid time off for dependents to deal with "emergency" situations such as this. Staff must properly notify their employer of the anticipated absence or they could lose this entitlement. Employers could also consider whether it is possible for affected staff to work from home, or consider swapping shifts or working flexitime. As a last resort, employees who are refused time off may resort to unauthorised absence, in which case employers should consider all the circumstances before taking formal action, according to XpertHR.

Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines.