Employees are entitled to take a ‘reasonable amount’ of time off in the following circumstances:
- to assist when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured or assaulted;
- to make arrangements for the provision of care for an ill or injured dependant;
- in consequence of the death of a dependant;
- when a dependant’s care arrangements unexpectedly end or are disrupted;
- to deal with an incident involving their child at school (or other educational establishment).
Employees also have the right to one week’s unpaid carer’s leave.
Further details on these rights can be found in:
Prospect’s Members’ Guide on parental and family leave
Flexible working
All employees have the right to request flexible working, which may involve a change to hours, times or location of work. Flexible working arrangements may be a reasonable adjustment for a disabled worker. Further details of the right to request, the procedures involved and eligibility can be found in:
Prospect Members’ Guide on part-time and flexible working
Community care services
Local authorities and the NHS have a duty to provide services to disabled children and adults to enable them to continue to live in the community. Social services have a duty to provide services to a disabled adult who is ‘ordinarily resident’ in their local authority area. If a local authority treats people with autism differently, this may constitute unlawful discrimination.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to assess a person’s needs for community care services.
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