Trade union facility time

The Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 came into force on 1 April 2017. The regulations require relevant public sector employers to collect and publish, by 31 July on an annual basis, a range of data in relation to their usage and spend of trade union facility time in respect of their employees who are trade union representatives.

Facility Time is the provision of paid and unpaid time off from an employee’s normal role to undertake trade union duties and activities as a trade union representative. There is a statutory entitlement to reasonable paid time off for undertaking union duties (such as collective consultation or negotiation meetings, accompanying members at disciplinary or grievance meetings, Health and Safety / Learning representative duties and training). There is no such entitlement to paid time off for undertaking activities (such as union branch meetings or conferences).

We will publish this information in July 2022.

Last updated 16 July 2021