Decision details

Legislative changes came into effect on 6 April 2024 requiring updates to a number of employment policies and procedures, and the introduction of a new carer' leave policy and procedure, to ensure compliance. The changes are set out below:

Working flexibly policy and procedure:
(1) Flexible working requests are a day one right.
(2) Two requests for flexible working can be made within any 12-month period.
(3) A final decision (including appeal) needs to be made within two months (was previously three months).

Carer's leave policy:
(1) A new policy that has been introduced to reflect the statutory right for employees with caring responsibilities to take one week's unpaid leave per year (subject to qualifying criteria).

Working carers policy:
(1) Updated to include reference to the Carers Leave Act 2023 that gives employees with caring responsibilities a statutory right to take up to one week's unpaid leave per year (subject to qualifying criteria) to give or arrange care for a dependant.

Redundancy procedure and priority access to vacancies policy and procedure:
(1) Updated to reflect extended redundancy protection for pregnant women, women on maternity leave (or have suffered a miscarriage), and employees on adoption leave and shared parental leave for up to 18 months from the expected week of childbirth (subject to various criteria).

Paternity leave policy:
(1) Paternity leave can now be taken as two one-week non-consecutive blocks at any point in the first year following birth.
(2) The notice for paternity leave has been reduced to four weeks and leave dates can be varied with 28 days' notice.

The revised policies and procedures have been shared with the recognised trade unions at the Joint Negotiating and Consultative Forum and the changes to these have been noted.

Lucy Thompson, Director of People, took the decision to approve the following revised policies and procedures to reflect legislative changes:

(1)  Working flexibly policy and procedure

(2)  Working carers policy

(3)  Redundancy procedure

(4)  Priority access to vacancies policy and procedure

(5)  Paternity leave policy and procedure

A carer's leave policy and procedure to reflect the new statutory right for employees with caring responsibilities to take one week's unpaid carers leave per year (subject to qualifying criteria), was also approved.