1(1)A worker is entitled to be absent from work on leave for the period specified in an emergency volunteering certificate if the condition in sub-paragraph (2) is met.
(2)The condition is that, no later than 3 working days before the first day of the period specified in the emergency volunteering certificate, the worker—
(a)notifies their employer in writing of their intention to be absent from work on leave for the period specified in the emergency volunteering certificate, and
(b)provides their employer with a copy of the certificate.
(3)An “emergency volunteering certificate” is a document issued by an appropriate authority certifying that the worker—
(a)has been approved by the authority as an emergency volunteer in health or social care, and
(b)will be acting as an emergency volunteer in health or social care from the date, and for the period, specified in the certificate.
(4)The period specified in the certificate must be a period of—
(a)two consecutive weeks,
(b)three consecutive weeks, or
(c)four consecutive weeks,
and must begin and end in the same volunteering period.
(5)A worker may not be absent from work under this paragraph more than once in each volunteering period.
(6)This paragraph is subject to paragraph 3 (exceptions).
(7)In this Schedule “emergency volunteering leave” means leave under this paragraph.