The Government has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the list of public duties for which employees can take time off work. HR teams should review any policies or internal guidance on time off for public duties and keep an eye on the consultation outcome, as it could widen the range of roles that qualify for time off.
Updated to reflect that the Time Off for Public Duties Order 2018 is in force from 1 October 2018, extending the right to unpaid time off work to four groups of volunteers in the criminal justice system.