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Zayn Malik quits One Direction: Hundreds of workers request compassionate leave following band member's exit

More than 220 calls were made to employment law experts by workers asking for compassionate leave following the news that Zayn Malik had quit One Direction.

The singer’s announcement is said to have catalysed hundreds of requests made to the Employer Advice Service of Manchester-based company Peninsula.

Employment law director Alan Price said “it was a situation you just couldn’t make up”.

Employment law director Alan Price said “it was a situation you just couldn’t make up”. “While I sympathise with One Direction fans, I hardly think this qualified as compassionate leave,” Price told the Manchester Evening News.

“If employees feel strongly about the issue then request that they take days off as a holiday, but compassionate leave is what you allow if a close relative dies, unless the employer is unaware of family ties with Zayn Malik then I hardly think that this qualifies.

“Abusing compassionate leave is inconsiderate to fellow colleagues who may genuinely need the time off.”

He went on to draw comparisons between the event and that of the big parting of ways of Robbie Williams from Take That in 1996, where they again experienced a huge spike in calls from concerned bosses.

He went on to draw comparisons between the event and that of the big parting of ways of Robbie Williams from Take That in 1996, where they again experienced a huge spike in calls from concerned bosses.