Time Off Work for Public Duties

The community needs strong input from the citizenry and since many potentially come from the work group, employers have a special responsibility to look constructively at the issues involved. The law provides employees with rights to a reasonable amount of leave to attend trade union activities, and to undertake the public duties of justice of the peace, member of a local authority, member of any statutory tribunal, member of a Health Authority Board, member of a managing/governing body or council of an educational establishment, or member of a water authority/river purification board. There is no statutory requirement on the part of the employer to pay for the absence. Given the employee's legal right to such leave, it is for the employer to weigh all factors and possibly review the policy of payment or non‐payment, bearing in mind that a positive policy in favour of release identifies the firm as a good employer while allowing the benefit of the employee's broadened experience.