The Coronavirus Act 2020

Sections 8 and 9 – Emergency Volunteers

• Emergency Volunteering Leave will create a new, unpaid statutory right for eligible (i.e. suitably qualified/skilled) employees to take during the Coronavirus crisis.
• The ability to take this leave will be triggered by the UKG commencing a 16 week ‘emergency period’ where the Health Service has indicated it needs skilled volunteers to meet demand.
• The leave will be taken in 2, 3 or 4 week blocks and can only be taken once during the 16 week emergency period.
• A second, or third etc., 16 week ‘emergency period’ can be called by the government at a later date & all those eligible can take another block period of leave (2, 3 or 4 weeks) during that subsequent ‘emergency period’.
• To become an Emergency Volunteer for these purposes the employee must engage with their regional health trust to identify a suitable volunteering need that they have the skills to meet.
• Once agreed the health trust will issue the employee with an Emergency Volunteering Leave certificate which they must provide to their employers at least 3 working days before the first day of their Emergency Volunteering Leave.

The ability to take Emergency Volunteering Leave will end at the end of the Coronavirus outbreak.