SPECIAL LEAVE

The council makes provision for employees who require leave to care for ill or seriously ill dependants.  Unpaid carers leave may be applied in addition to paid special leave as appropriate.

Where, due to illness, the dependant is reliant upon the day-to-day care of an employee, the line manager/Head Teacher has discretion to grant the employee up to five working days paid leave, and thereafter, up to ten working days unpaid leave in any 12 month period in line with the provisions of the Leave for Family Care Purposes Policy.

Requests for leave under these provisions must be made as early as possible on the first day of absence and should indicate:

• The employee's relationship to the dependant;
• The nature of the dependant's illness;
• The expected duration of the employee's absence;
• If possible, if the period of absence is likely to continue beyond five working days.

Where an absence is likely to continue beyond one day, the employee must agree with their line manager/Head Teacher the frequency of contact to be maintained.

If the period of absence exceeds the maximum of 15 working days available for the Illness of a Dependant, employees may apply for leave under the arrangements for Serious Illness of a Dependant in line with the Leave for Family Care Purposes Policy.