Coronavirus Special Leave for 2022

16 Dec 2021

Message from Adèle MacKinlay, Director of People and Organisational Development

Throughout the pandemic we’ve offered colleagues Coronavirus Special Leave to help you out when balancing caring and work commitments in emergency situations due to COVID. 

As a parent myself, I understand there are times when COVID impacts on family life, so knowing there is a safety net there to help you out can ease stress levels. 

Coronavirus Special Leave was due to end on 4 January 2022, but given where we are in the pandemic, we have decided to continue with Coronavirus Special Leave until the end of 2022 or until a point when it is no longer required. 

We will keep Coronavirus Special Leave under review during 2022 and hope that there comes a point where it is no longer required, at which point it will be withdrawn.

You can request to take Coronavirus Special Leave for unexpected childcare responsibilities, for example your child being sent home due to nursery or school closure, if your child is required to self-isolate or respite care you may have in place falling through at short notice.

Your new allowance is in addition to your usual annual leave allowance and our existing Special Leave policy. 

You can take Coronavirus Special Leave in full or half days but you can’t roll over any unused Coronavirus Special Leave allowance from 2021 which wasn’t taken before 4 January 2022.

Please discuss any requests to take Coronavirus Special Leave with your line manager. Managers will be asked to keep a note of any leave taken but this is just to help us understand how this initiative is working across our University.

You can find out more about Coronavirus Special Leave on our Coronavirus staff FAQs site and our Guidance for staff with caring responsibilities.

Best wishes

Adèle MacKinlay

Director of People and Organisational Development