Employers need to keep track of a variety of policies designed to support families and prospective families. Amongst these are:
- Flexible working
Anyone with child care responsibilities for a child under 6 or 18 for a child with disability living allowance, can legitimately ask for flexible working. Once that request has been made in writing, the employer must respond and call a meeting within 28 days. This right also extends to employees with the responsibility for caring for spouses, partners, adult relatives or adults living with them who are sick and disabled. The government is committed to extending flexible working to all parents with children under the age of 16 from April 2009. There is some doubt whether this will happen on this time table in the current climate.
- Maternity leave Apart from the entitlement to ordinary maternity leave, it is likely that most pregnant employees will be entitled to claim additional maternity leave. There are then provisions relating to how that leave is paid and when it can be taken. Statutory maternity pay is now 39 weeks and will be extended to 52 weeks by 2010. Fathers may be able to be credited with a mother’s unused leave.
- Parental leave
Any employee with more than 12 months service can claim parental leave, entitling them to take unpaid leave to a maximum of 13 weeks by the time a child is 5.
- Paternity leave
The fathers of newly born children or adoption placements can also claim leave which will be paid at the same rate as maternity allowance.
- Time off for emergencies
Anyone with dependents, and that might be parents as well as children, is entitled to ask for unpaid time off to deal with domestic emergencies.
The management of these employment rights and the implementation of suitable policies and procedures requires skilful handling. We will assist you in a practical and cost effective way.
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