What you need to know…
- Right to leave and pay is now equal for both parents – six weeks full pay and 46 weeks unpaid leave to be taken before the child’s/children’s second birthday and a right to return to the same role
- Leave can be taken in three blocks; each block a minimum of two weeks
- Employees must notify employers of the intention to take Parental Leave 15 weeks before baby due or seven days before for adoption
- Dates can be changed with 42 days’ notice
- Paid statutory parental leave for birth mothers must start on the day the baby is born and the six weeks must be taken together.
- Antenatal appointments are supported – the birth mother is entitled to be paid to attend all antenatal appointments and anyone with a qualifying relationship is entitled to a maximum of 10 hours’ paid leave to attend antenatal appointments with any attendance to any additional appointments be being unpaid.
- Keeping in Touch Days - employees on Parental Leave can work 14 hours in a week and a maximum of 70 hours in total before impacting their benefit eligibility. This cannot happen in the first six weeks after birth for the birth mother
- For a period of 52 weeks after the birth of their child, breastfeeding mothers are entitled to paid breaks at work for the purpose of breastfeeding and/or expressing milk
- They have the right to apply for a temporary change to terms of employment, following the Flexible Working process, but with shortened timescales.
What you need to do…
- Make sure you review your handbooks, policies, and procedures to reflect new legislation
- Communicate these to your employees, making sure they understand the new notice periods
- Consider if anyone needs specific training
- Implement a Parental Leave checklist to support your managers.
- Update or implement Parental Leave application and Breastfeeding Temporary Variation request forms