FOI Request - Special Leave Applications

Request 101003848903

1. Please can you advise how many Special Leave applications have been made by employees asking for time off due to a relative, e.g. son or daughter, having a car accident and how many of those were approved/denied as paid special leave.

I am specifically interested in anyone asking for one day of Special Leave but would appreciate any information you can give me so if it can't be broken down to that level of specificity I don't mind. Please could you also include the start and end date the data covers.  

Clarification sought 12-09-2025

Clarification received 19-09-2025 

Response 07-10-2025

1. The information requested is not centrally held; there is no category for special leave. In order to find the information requested, each department would need to check their employee files individually for records of Special Leave and the specific reason for it. At thousand of employees, this task would take more than 40 hours and this would cost the Council in excess of £600 of staff time. In accordance with section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (excessive cost), we are therefore unable to comply with this request.   

In addition, even if obtained, any results are likely to be exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - personal information, as the low numbers involved (between 1 and 5) may lead to the identification of individuals.