Allowing time off work

In certain situations, employees have the right to paid time off to act as a trade union or employee representative for the purposes of information and consultation between staff and the employer.

Collective redundancy situations - time off for consultation

Trade union or elected employee representatives have the right to reasonable paid time off to attend information and consultation meetings during a collective redundancy situation.

For more information, see redundancy: the options.

Business transfer situations - time off for consultation

If you are selling your business (or part of your business), trade union or elected employee representatives have the right to reasonable paid time off to attend information and consultation meetings.

For information on business transfer situations and employees, see responsibilities to employees if you buy or sell a business.

In both collective redundancy and business transfer situations, you must allow employees paid time off where they are:

• standing in an election to become an employee representative
• undertaking training as such a representative

Read more on working with non-union representatives.

Information and consultation agreements

Negotiating representatives have the right to reasonable paid time off for meetings to set up an information and consultation (I&C) arrangement.

I&C representatives have the right to reasonable paid time off to exercise their duties.

The same right applies to members of a special negotiating body or the European Works Council.

For more information, see inform and consult your employees.