Can I ask for time off to go to see my kid in the school Christmas play?

There is no statutory legal right to have time off for this kind of occasion, but that doesn't mean that you can't ask. Do it politely though, and think about how you might improve your chances. Most bosses allow their workers some leeway at Christmas, but a small minority lack the Christmas spirit.

The TUC's 2002 About Time report found that one in four workers had formal flexitime system, a further three out of ten had limited flexibility over their working patterns and four out of ten had no flexibility at all. Trade unions are campaigning to give their members more control over their hours and patterns of work as it is a proven trigger for the improvements to staff well-being and independence that significantly improve work performance.