The Employment Rights Act 1996 gives employees the right to time off if something “unexpected” happens to their arrangements for caring for a dependant. But your employer may suggest that the word "unexpected" means that if you had more than a couple of days' notice, then you do not have the right to the time off. But a recent legal case has established that “unexpected” can include a situation in which the employee had two weeks’ notice of a change to their childcare arrangements.

The ruling on the case - Royal Bank of Scotland v Harrison - was made by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT), so it is now 'case law'. This means that its finding applies to all other employers and workers. So if you are in a similar situation with your employer and anticipate any difficulty getting your time off, mention this case and contact your RMT rep!

You can read the details of the case here