School Reps' Handbook > Your questions answered
Time off for family and domestic reasons
All teachers have a new legal entitlement to take unpaid time off to deal with incidents involving their dependents, separate from and additional to parental leave. This does not take away their entitlement under the terms of Admin Memo 33 described in 'Leave of Absence'.
Under what circumstances can I take time off?
Time off can be taken:
- to provide assistance on an occasion when a dependent falls ill, gives birth, or is injured or assaulted;
- to make arrangements for the provision of care for a dependent who is ill or injured;
- when a dependent dies;
- because of the unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of a dependent; and
- to deal with an incident involving a dependent child occurring unexpectedly during the child's school time.
How much time can I take ofF?
A "reasonable" amount of unpaid time off is allowed, although there is no definition of what is "reasonable" and it will, therefore, vary according to each case and each set of circumstances.
Who is a dependent?
A dependent is defined as a spouse, child, parent, co-habitee or anyone else who reasonably relies on the teacher for care. It excludes those who live in the same household as an employee, tenant, lodger or border.