The Work and Families Act 2006

The Work and Families Act gives carers the right to request flexible working and comes into effect in April 2007.
This means carers will have a legal right to request flexible working, and their employer will have to take the request very seriously.

Carers of someone living with MND need to think about what their needs are as only one written request is allowed in one year, so it is important to think carefully about the financial and caring considerations. This will be difficult for carers of someone living with MND as it is a progressive condition, so planning ahead may be difficult. So discuss it with the person you are caring for and possibly other members of the family or friends first.

Find out what your employer is able to offer, it might include:-

  • flexible starting and finishing times
  • compressed working hours
  • annualised working hours
  • job sharing or part-time working
  • homeworking and teleworking
  • term-time working

An employer can refuse a request, but they must give good reasons for doing so and you do have a right to appeal.


Paid and Unpaid Leave

Leave arrangements, paid or unpaid are at the discretion of your employer, to cover intensive periods of care. Find out if your employer has provisions for carers leave, or compassionate leave.

If you are thinking of giving up work because of a long-term caring commitment, find out if your employer could offer you a career break. This would enable you to keep your options open.

Time off for Emergencies

You have a right to take a 'reasonable' amount of time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. It is at the employer's discretion whether the leave is paid or unpaid. Leave might be taken in the following situations:

  • a disruption or breakdown in care arrangements
  • a dependant falling ill or has been assaulted or in an accident including when the victim is hurt or upset rather than physically injured
  • an incident involving a child during school hours
  • to make longer term arrangements for a dependant who is ill or injured
  • the death of a dependant

Accessing Advice and Information

Find out what advice and information is available from your employer. This could be via your personnel officer, welfare officer or occupational health advisor, union/staff representative or your colleagues.

Parental leave

If you have one year's service you are entitled to 13 weeks parental leave to care for a child and 18 weeks for a disabled child.

More Information

For more information about what employers can do to support working carers contact Carers UK.