Dependent care leave policy – Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics (CING) (CY)

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics initiated the Dependant Care Leave in 2018.  It is a special paid leave designed to support staff in cases of serious health conditions related to dependants. Alongside the right of unpaid leave, the institute made provisions for paid dependant care leave and is granted after the employee has exhausted their annual plus their unpaid leave. The dependant care leave can be granted for up to ten days per year. Any further leave needed beyond the annual leave, unpaid leave and the dependant care leave may also be granted as unpaid leave after the approval of the Department Head.

The institute recognises that circumstances and the nature of relationships vary. Therefore, each case is assessed individually, taking the following aspects into account, among others: the seriousness of the dependant’s health condition, the dependant’s age, the extent to which the dependant can cope on their own and the availability of others to look after the dependant. Furthermore, Donation of Leaves were introduced, meaning an employee may donate their annual leave directly  to another employee who has exhausted their dependant care leave. The amount of donated annual leave a recipient may receive from the leave donors can be up to twenty working days.