Employees have minimum entitlements under law in the UK including minimum entitlements for leave, notice of termination or national minimum wage. Employers are free to develop policies and give greater rights to their employees in their contracts than they have to give under the law, but they must not provide less. In this section we will only outline the legislation that specifically relates to unpaid carers.
Good communication and well informed staff are key elements of building an engaged and motivated workforce. Having good policies on paper and not known throughout the workplace will not benefit employees. Sharing information helps strengthen employees’ commitment to the organisation, because they are more likely to feel secure, valued and supported. Smart employers do not just develop their own policies, but make sure that they put them in place; they regularly state and promote statutory employee rights and entitlements to employees.
To promote employee rights and entitlements employers can use several methods from staff induction processes, payslip messages, staff noticeboards in communal areas, internal communication channels (e.g. intranet, newsletter) to supervisions and team meetings.
Employers should ensure that their line managers have basic knowledge about the entitlements and are aware of where to find policies. Line managers play a crucial role in communicating these messages to other employees and across departments. Well trained line managers can also ensure that your organisation provides continuity and a consistent approach when a manager leaves and is replaced by someone new.
All employees in the UK have a:
– Legal right to request flexible working if the employee has worked continuously for the same employer for 26 weeks.
– Legal right to take unpaid parental leave for both men and women if the employee has worked for the employer for a least one year.
– Legal right to reasonable time off to look after dependants in an emergency (applies from the day the employee starts work).
– Protection from discrimination.
– Legal right to request a Carer’s Assessment from their Local Authority.
– Legal right to join (or not to join) a Trade Union.
