In Royal Bank of Scotland Plc v Harrison EAT/0093/08, the EAT held that a disruption to the employee's childcare arrangements was unexpected. She was, therefore, entitled to take time off for dependants, and had suffered a detriment for a prescribed reason for doing so.
In Truelove v Safeway Stores plc, the EAT holds that it is not necessary for a parent or carer faced with an unexpected disruption in arrangements for the care of a dependant, and seeking time off to deal with the emergency, to give reasons to his or her employer with any formality.