TEACHER strikes cause many schools to close up and down the country, meaning you might need to leave work to look after your child.
So what are your rights if that happens – will you still get paid? We explain below.
What are your rights to taking time off work due to teacher strikes?
Members of the National Education Union sometimes vote to strike if they’re not happy with their pay.
It helps to know your rights at work surrounding the matter, so you can plan what to do accordingly.
Can you take time off work if your child’s school is closed due to strikes?
Industrial action hitting UK schools will undoubtedly affect your child’s education as teachers agree to walk out.
But school closures bring with it the additional worry of childcare, with parents concerned whether they can take time off.
But worry not – the answer is yes, you can.
You are entitled to take reasonable time off work to deal with an unexpected problem or emergency.
This is also called “dependant leave”, according to Citizens Advice.
Your employer can’t refuse dependant leave if you have no other option.
You also won’t face disciplinary action or lose your job.
Many employers are flexible with staff who have to care for their children due to unexpected circumstances, such as educational strike action.
If your child is under the age of 18, then you also have other rights to time off.
This is known as “parental leave” – but you must have worked for your employer for at least a year before you can take this leave.
You can take up to 18 weeks off for parental leave before your child turns 18, but your employer can limit this to four weeks off per year.
Will you get paid for taking time off?
In both dependant and parental leave cases you won’t be paid for your time off, unless your contract of employment says so.
You may be able to negotiate taking holiday with your employer if you’d still like to get paid and are entitled to paid holiday but this will be at their discretion.
But crucially, you don’t have to make up the missed time later on.
In general, you should check your employment contract and know your rights before speaking to your employer about any uncertainties.
A reasonable boss will be flexible, particularly if you’ve given them plenty of notice and there’s nothing you can do about strikes.
For more advice, you should visit the Citizens Advice website.
