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Introduction to this document

Carer’s leave form

If an employee is eligible and wishes to take unpaid carer’s leave, they must first comply with certain statutory notice requirements.

Notice requirements

An employee may take the carer’s leave to which they’re entitled on such days as they may elect by giving you notice of their intention (provided their notice is given on or after 6 April 2024). This notice: (1) may relate to all or just part of the one week of carer’s leave to which they’re entitled in any rolling twelve-month period; (2) must specify that they’re entitled to take carer’s leave; and (3) must specify the days on which their carer’s leave is to be taken, and if their leave relates to a half-day, the notice must say that. The employee’s notice must then be given to you by whichever date is the earlier of: (1) twice as many days in advance of the earliest date specified in their notice as the number of days or half-days to which their notice relates; or (2) three days in advance of the earliest date specified in their notice. However, if an employee fails to give you due notice, it is open to you to waive the notice requirement. If you do so, they will then be treated as if they had given you due notice.

Evidence

Employees can self-certify their eligibility to take carer’s leave. You can’t require them to supply evidence in relation to their request before granting the leave. So, you can’t ask them to provide proof that they’re going to be providing or arranging care for a dependant with a long-term care need during their time off, or that the person is their dependant or has a long-term care need.

Carer’s leave form

Our Carer’s Leave Form is designed to ensure that the employee complies with the notice requirements, including giving the minimum length of notice required, and that they self-certify their eligibility to take carer’s leave, i.e. by confirming they’re taking the leave to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need, and they haven’t already exceeded their statutory entitlement. Note though that there’s no specific statutory requirement for the employee’s notice of carer’s leave to be in writing. Therefore, a telephone call, voicemail or text message from the employee to their line manager, which contains the required information and is given within the necessary timescale, would appear to still comply with the legislation.