QUEEN Elizabeth’s death has shocked the nation as millions mourn her loss.
A state funeral has been planned for the monarch on September 19, and King Charles has declared the day a bank holiday.
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Schools will be closed across the UK, however businesses are under no legal obligation to give staff the day off work.
If you are a parent or guardian working that day but want to take the day off, you might be left not knowing what to do.
So what are your rights? We explain all below.
Do I have to work on the bank holiday?
Many workers will be able to take September 19 off work, but it’s not a given.
Official government guidance says each employer should make their own decision on whether or not staff are allowed a day off.
It adds employers are expected to “respond sensitively” to requests from workers who don’t want to work that day.
However, there’s no legal requirement for employees to give staff the day off.
For the full guidance, you can visit the government’s website.
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Can I take time off work when schools close?
There are certain scenarios where you can take reasonable time off work to deal with emergencies or unexpected issues involving close family members or dependants.
This is what is known as “dependant leave”.
A dependant could be someone who lives with you (other than a lodger, tenant or boarder), or someone who relies on you such as an elderly or disabled relative or neighbour.
On dependant leave, you won’t be paid unless your contract of employment says you’re entitled to it, however in any case you won’t have to make up the time spent off work.
There is no set amount of time you can take off as it depends on the specific situation.
Situations when you can take time off include:
- when someone gets ill or is injured
- someone dies
- care arrangements for someone suddenly break down
- you need to deal with an unexpected incident involving your child at school
Elizabeth McGlone, a partner at Didlaw employment lawyers, said parents or guardians should be able to take work off next Monday through dependant leave.
She said: “In the circumstances, I think parents can rely on dependant leave as a reason to be off on September 19 given schools are closed.
“People should check if their employer has a dependant leave policy and follow it if applicable.”
If your child is under the age of 18, parents also have other rights to time off.
This is known as “parental leave” – but you must have worked for your employer for at least a year before you can take this leave.
You can take up to 18 weeks off for parental leave before your child turns 18, but your employer can limit this to four weeks off per year.
Parents can get time off work through dependant leave if their children are sent home from school due to snow.
If you want to find out whether you’re entitled to double time when working on bank holidays, you can read our guide.
