FAQ on Time off for Dependents (Emergency Family Leave)

Learn about your rights to time off from work for family and emergencies.

What is dependency leave?

Time off for dependents or dependency leave gives you the right to reasonable time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependent. It also states that you cannot be dismissed or victimised for taking this time off. Dependency leave is open to you no matter how long you have been with your employer.

Is dependency leave paid?

Employers do not have to pay you for emergency time off for dependents. However, some employers do. If you’re not sure what your employer’s policy is, check your contract or speak to the personnel or human resources department to see where you stand.

Who are classed as my dependents?

Your dependents are people who rely on you for assistance such as your partner, parent or child. In some cases this can also include an elderly neighbour who has no one else to support them.

When can I take time off?

You have the right to take time off to deal with unexpected problems and to make any necessary arrangements for the future, for example:

If your dependent falls ill or has had an accident or has been assaulted. Your dependent does not have to have been physically injured; this right also applies if they have been involved in a situation that has caused them hurt or distress
When your partner is having a baby
When you have to deal with an unexpected hiccup in your normal care arrangements, for example, if your child-minder or nurse doesn’t turn up when expected
When you have to deal with an incident that involves your child during school time, for example, if your child has been involved in a fight or is being suspended from school
If you need to make longer-term arrangements for a dependent who is ill or injured
If you have to deal with the death of a dependent, for example, to make funeral arrangements or to attend a funeral

How much time off can I take?

No limit to the amount of Dependency Leave has been set. Usually, it will be one or two days, but it will vary according to your particular needs. If you have to take more than a couple of days off, you might be able to use part of your annual leave or to take parental leave.