Today, the Shared Parental Leave Regulations come into force.
So what does this mean?
If your baby is due on or after 5 April 2015, you will have the opportunity to share parental leave. Provided they are eligible, Mother’s will still be entitled to 52 weeks of Maternity Leave and 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance. However, if they chose to do so, they may decide to share the leave.
Are you Eligible?
To qualify, you must share care of your child with either your husband, wife, civil partner, or joint adopter; with the child’s other parent; or with your partner, provided the child and your partner live with you. Further, you must have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks, by the end of the 15th week before the due date (or by the date you are matched by your adopted child) and you must be employed by the same employer whilst you take Shared Parental Leave. For your Partner to qualify, during the 66 weeks before the due, date, your Partner must have been working for at least 26 weeks and have earned at least £30 a week on average in 13 of the 66 weeks.
The Regulations are a complex scheme and time will tell how effective and how commonly they are used.
Should you have any queries with regards to the above, or any other Employment Law concern, please contact us via telephone on 0161 330 6821 or contact a member of our Employment Team directly:
Mark Hirst: mhirst@bromleys.co.uk
Rachael Frankland: rfrankland@bromleys.co.uk