Unpaid leave for family emergencies

Employees (not agency workers) are entitled to reasonable unpaid time off to deal with family emergencies involving parents, children, a spouse or co-habitee or anyone else who looks to the employee for assistance. This is a “day one” right.

A “family emergency” is defined as sickness, accident, criminal injury, death, absence of the carer for a family member, or serious problems at the child’s school.

It is a right to time off to deal with sudden, unexpected events involving a dependant or to make arrangements for their care. The amount of time is whatever is “reasonable” in the circumstances. Employees should give their employer enough information so that they know that the leave is for the purpose of dealing with a family emergency.

In unionised workplaces, better rights may have been negotiated, for example, a right to paid leave.