Updating author: Marc Meryon

On this page:
Summary
Future developments
Action point checklist
Key references
Questions and answers
Overview
Trade union officials
Trade union learning representatives
Trade union members
Safety representatives
Pension scheme trustees
Employee representatives
Redundant employees
Young persons (for study or training)
Public duties
European Works Council and special negotiating body members
Antenatal care
Parental leave
Dependants
To accompany at disciplinary and grievance hearings
To accompany at right to request flexible working hearings
To accompany at retirement hearings
Members of the volunteer reserve forces
Complaints to an employment tribunal
Dismissal or selection for redundancy

Summary

3.1529

• Employees (and, in some situations, workers) have the legal right to be permitted a reasonable amount of paid or unpaid time off work to enable them to carry out their official functions or for other designated purposes (see 3.1531 Overview). The right extends to:
  • trade union officials (shop stewards, etc); (see 3.1532 Trade union officials)
  • trade union learning represenatives; (See 3.1533 Trade union learning representatives)
  • trade union members; (See 3.1534 Trade union members)
  • safety representatives; (See 3.1535 Safety representatives)
  • pension scheme trustees; (See 3.1536 Pension scheme trustees)
  • employee representatives; (See 3.1537 Employee representatives;)
  • redundant employees; (See 3.1538 Redundant employees)
  • young employees pursuing studies or training leading to a "relevant academic or vocational qualification"; (See 3.1539 Young persons (for study or training))
  • Justices of the Peace and members/officials of specified public bodies; (See 3.1540 Public duties)
  • members of European Works Councils or "special negotiating bodies"; (See 3.1541 European Works Council and special negotiating body members)
  • pregnant employees who need antenatal care; (See 3.1542 Antenatal care)
  • parents of a child under the age of five (or an adopted child under the age of 18); (See 3.1543 Parental leave)
  • employees with responsibilities for dependants; (See 3.1544 Dependants)
  • workers accompanying other workers at disciplinary and grievance proceedings; (See 3.1545 To accompany at disciplinary and grievance hearings)
  • workers accompanying other workers at right to request flexible working hearings; (See 3.1546 To accompany at right to request flexible working hearings)
  • workers accompanying other workers at retirement hearings; (See 3.1547 To accompany at retirement hearings)
  • members of the volunteer reserve forces. (See 3.1548 Members of the volunteer reserve forces)
• Complaints about an employer's refusal to accommodate a statutory right to a period of paid/unpaid time off work will be heard by the employment tribunals. (See 3.1549 Complaints to an employment tribunal and 3.1550 Dismissal or selection for redundancy)

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Future developments

3.1530 Time off for training: A right to request time off to undertake training or study is to be introduced for employees in organisations with 250 or more employees on 6 April 2010.