1. Know your employment rights

2. Session Overview Basic employment rights
What can I do if I need to take time off?
Parental leave
Right to unpaid time off
Flexible Working
Discrimination in the workplace
What can I do if my employer changes my hours?

3. Basic Employment Rights
Restrictions on hours
Holiday entitlements
Sick leave
Maternity Leave
Salary

4. Parental Leave You can take parental leave:
If you have worked for your employer for 1 year; AND
You have parental responsibility for a child.
It is unpaid (unless your contract says otherwise).
You can take up to 18 weeks of unpaid leave for each child under 18 years.
Applying for parental leave:
21 days' notice
In writing (there is no requirement to do this)
Your employer is under a duty to not unreasonably postpone a requested period of parental leave.

5. Unpaid time off
Right to reasonable time off work to deal with unexpected problems/emergencies with close family members or people who depend on you.
E.g.
Someone close to you gets ill or is injured
Care arrangements suddenly break down
You need to deal with an unexpected incident involving your child at school
Be aware – This is unpaid time off (unless your contract says otherwise)
What is reasonable depends on the situation.

6. Flexible Working
Flexible working is a way of working that suits your needs e.g. job sharing, working from home, working part time, flexitime.
You can request flexible working if you have 26 weeks' continuous employment.
Making "a statutory application":
Written request
Employer has three month decision period.
If employer agrees, there is usually a permanent change to your contract.
If employer disagrees, they must give you one of the statutory business reasons for the refusal.

7. Discrimination in employment
Which of the following is discrimination?
A. I wasn't selected for a job because I am pregnant.
B. I wasn't allowed to attend training because I helped my colleague make a discrimination claim against her manager.
C. I wasn't chosen for a promotion because my son is disabled.
D. All of the above.

8. Protected Characteristics
Age
Sexual orientation
Disability
Protected Characteristics
Sex
Gender reassignment
Religion or belief
Marriage or civil partnership
Race
Pregnancy and maternity

9. Types of discrimination
Direct discrimination
Indirect discrimination
Harassment
Victimisation

10. Duty to make reasonable adjustments
Your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments if you are disabled.
Examples of reasonable adjustments:
adjusting start and finish times
more flexible work, working form home and similar
more formal support and supervision
extra training
special equipment
working closer to home, so less travel
more sickness absence being permitted, before the employer takes action about the person's attendance
shorter hours (usually with a pro rata pay cut)

11. What can I do if my employer amends my hours?
Check your employment contract – does your contract allow your employer to make the change?
Try to negotiate with your employer.
Potential claims:
Breach of contract
Indirect sex discrimination
Direct sex discrimination
Unfair dismissal