United Kingdom Leave Laws and Holidays

Employees are entitled to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to deal with emergency situations involving a dependent, such as illness or injury, unexpected incidents during school hours, or the death of a dependent.

Employees must inform their employer as soon as reasonably possible about the need to take emergency leave, ideally on the first day of absence.

Emergency leave does not typically require prior approval due to the nature of the circumstances that warrant such leave, but employees should notify their employer as soon as possible.

While there is no fixed quota for emergency leave, the amount of time off must be reasonable given the situation. Employers may require evidence to substantiate the emergency.

Emergency leave does not accrue and is intended to be used spontaneously as situations arise.

There is no carry over for emergency leave as it is granted on an as-needed basis.

There is no payout for unused emergency leave upon termination as it is not an accrued benefit.

There is no end-of-year payout for emergency leave as it is not an accruable leave type.

Emergency leave is specifically for dealing with issues related to dependents, including children, spouses, or anyone else dependent on the employee's care.

Employees can take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off to deal with emergencies involving dependents.

Employees should inform their employer as soon as possible about the need to take time off, ideally before the time off starts.

This type of leave does not require approval, but employees need to notify their employer as soon as possible.

Additional time off may be granted based on the specific needs of the situation, at the employer's discretion.

Time off for dependents is not accrued but is available as needed based on circumstances.

There is no carry over for this type of leave as it does not accrue.

There is no payout for unused time off for dependents upon termination.

There is no end of year payout for time off for dependents as it does not accrue.

This leave is intended to be used for unforeseen emergencies and is not suitable for planned or known events.

The minimum statutory annual leave entitlement in Scotland is 28 days, which can include public holidays. This is based on a 5-day workweek, and part-time employees are entitled to a pro-rata amount.

Employees are generally required to give at least two weeks' notice before taking annual leave. Employers can require longer notice periods depending on company policy.

Annual leave requests must be approved by the employer. Employers can refuse leave requests but should act reasonably and can set times when leave can or cannot be taken.

Employers may offer additional annual leave beyond the statutory minimum, often as part of the employment contract. This is not a legal requirement.

Annual leave accrues over time, typically starting from the first day of employment. The amount increases with longer service, subject to company policy.

Unused annual leave can be carried over to the next year, but there may be limits depending on employer policy. Some employers may require employees to take leave within a specified period.

Upon termination of employment, employees are entitled to a payout for any unused annual leave, calculated based on the number of days accrued.

Unused leave is typically carried over rather than paid out at the end of the year, but this may vary based on company policy.

The rules around the timing, carryover, and additional leave can vary from one employer to another, as long as the statutory minimum is provided.

Scotland does not have a statutory entitlement to paid sick leave. However, employees may be entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP) if they meet certain conditions.

Employees must notify their employer as soon as possible if they are unwell. Employers may request evidence such as a doctor's note after a certain number of days.

Sick leave does not require employer approval, but employees must notify the employer and may be asked for a medical certificate if the absence lasts beyond a certain period.

There is no statutory entitlement to additional paid sick leave beyond what is offered by the employer or through SSP.

Sick leave does not accrue in the same way as other leave types like annual leave. However, employees may be entitled to a certain amount of sick leave based on employer policies.

Sick leave generally does not carry over year to year. However, some employers may offer enhanced sick leave that can carry over.

Unused sick leave is not paid out upon termination of employment, although employees may receive SSP if eligible.

There is no payout for unused sick leave at the end of the year, as it is not accumulated in the same way as annual leave.

Some employers may offer additional sick leave or sick pay beyond the statutory minimum through their own policies or as part of collective bargaining agreements.

Eligible employees can take up to 52 weeks of Maternity Leave, with the first 39 weeks potentially paid through Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance depending on eligibility.

Employees must notify their employer about their pregnancy and intention to take Maternity Leave at least 15 weeks before the expected week of childbirth, including the leave start date.

Maternity leave must be approved by the employer, but as long as the employee provides the necessary notice, the employer cannot deny the leave.

There is no statutory entitlement to additional maternity leave beyond the 52 weeks, but some employers may offer more.

Maternity Leave is not accrued but is accessible based on meeting eligibility criteria such as length of service and earnings threshold.

Carry over of Maternity Leave into additional leave years is not applicable.

Employees on maternity leave are entitled to a payout for any unused annual leave accrued during the period of maternity leave if they leave the company.

There is no end of year payout for Maternity Leave as it does not accrue.

Some employers may provide enhanced maternity pay beyond statutory minimums, but this is not a requirement under the law.

Adoption leave consists of 26 weeks of ordinary adoption leave and 26 weeks of additional adoption leave, similar to maternity leave.

Adoptive parents must notify their employer within 7 days of being matched with a child for adoption. This notice should include the expected date of placement and the intended leave period.

Adoption leave must be approved by the employer, but as long as the proper notice is provided, the employer cannot deny the leave.

There is no statutory entitlement to additional adoption leave beyond the 52 weeks, but employers may offer more.

Adoption leave does not accrue but is granted per adoption event based on statutory entitlements.

Adoption leave must be used within a time frame related to the adoption event and cannot be carried over.

Employees are entitled to a payout for unused annual leave accrued during adoption leave if they leave the company.

Unused annual leave accrued during adoption leave may be paid out at the end of the year or carried over, depending on employer policy.

Some employers may provide enhanced adoption pay, but this is not required by law.

Employers are not legally required to provide paid bereavement leave, but most employers offer some form of paid or unpaid leave for employees dealing with the death of a close family member.

Employees should notify their employer as soon as possible after a bereavement, though no formal notice period is required.

Bereavement leave needs to be approved by the employer, but the approval is usually granted due to the sensitive nature of the request.

There is no statutory entitlement to additional bereavement leave, but employers may offer more generous policies depending on company culture.

Bereavement leave does not accrue in the same way as other leave types like annual leave.

Bereavement leave is typically taken within a short period of the bereavement and is not carried over to the next year.

Unused bereavement leave is not paid out at the end of employment.

Bereavement leave is not carried over, and thus there is no payout for unused leave at the end of the year.

Some employers may provide flexible leave options, allowing employees to take time off at their discretion during bereavement.

Employees are entitled to leave for jury duty, but it is typically unpaid unless specified in the employment contract or under employer policy.

Employees should inform their employer immediately after receiving a jury summons.

Jury duty leave must be approved by the employer, although it cannot be denied if the employee is legally required to attend.

Employees are not entitled to additional paid leave for jury duty beyond the statutory leave, though some employers may offer paid jury duty leave.

Jury duty leave is not accrued and does not affect other entitlements such as annual leave.

Jury duty leave must be used during the specific time period for jury duty and is not carried over.

There is no payout for unused jury duty leave at the end of employment.

Jury duty leave is not carried over or paid out at the end of the year.

Employees attending jury duty may receive some reimbursement from the government for loss of earnings, but this depends on the circumstances.

Employees have the legal right to request flexible working arrangements, but the employer is not obliged to approve the request.

Employees must provide at least 3 months' notice to request flexible working arrangements, and the employer must respond within a reasonable timeframe.

Flexible working arrangements require employer approval, though the employer must give a valid reason if denying the request.

There is no statutory entitlement to additional leave beyond the flexibility of work hours offered.

Flexible working leave is not separate from other leave types, and no additional leave is accrued specifically for flexible working.

Flexible working arrangements are typically part of the employment contract and do not involve a carryover of leave.

There is no payout for unused flexible working leave at the end of employment.

Flexible working arrangements do not include an end-of-year payout, as they are not considered a leave entitlement.

The specifics of flexible working arrangements vary from employer to employer, and some may provide additional benefits.

Paternity leave is a statutory entitlement for fathers or partners of the mother, providing 1 or 2 weeks of leave, depending on the employee's choice.

Employees must inform their employer at least 15 weeks before the baby’s due date to take paternity leave.

Paternity leave must be approved by the employer, but as long as the notice requirements are met, the employer cannot deny it.

There is no statutory entitlement to additional paternity leave beyond the 1 or 2 weeks, but employers may offer more.

Paternity leave is considered continuous service for the purposes of annual leave accrual, pension contributions, etc.

Unused paternity leave cannot be carried over to the next year. It must be taken within a set period after the child’s birth.

Paternity leave is not paid out upon termination of employment. Any unused paternity leave is forfeited.

Unused paternity leave is not paid out at the end of the year, as it does not accumulate like annual leave.

Some employers offer enhanced paternity pay, but this is not required by law.