Shared parental leave and pay and flexible working in Northern Ireland
23 January 2015
The Work and Families (Northern Ireland) Act 2015 has received Royal Assent and comes into full legal effect on 5 April 2015.
The Northern Ireland (NI) provisions for Shared Parental Leave (SPL) contained in the Act mirror the provisions as those in Great Britain, which are contained in the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014/3050. There is only one exception to this; namely where there is an interface with the Welfare Reform Proposals, as these have not yet been implemented in NI. As and when these are implemented, the NI provisions on SPL will be amended accordingly. Thank you to Pinsent Masons for this detail.
Parents-to-be begin the countdown to Shared Parental Leave
19 February 2015
Eight weeks to go until mums and dads with babies due on or after 5 April 2015 can start sharing up to 50 weeks of parental leave.
The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) has published a press release saying that with just 8 weeks to go until mums and dads with babies due on or after 5 April 2015 can start sharing up to 50 weeks of parental leave, expectant parents need to have that all- important conversation with their employers.
285,000 working couples a year are expected to be eligible for Shared Parental Leave (SPL) with parents giving their employers 8 weeks’ notice of the pattern of leave they intend to take.
Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson said:
“Shared Parental Leave will kickstart a change where fathers feel empowered to take time off to look after their kids and not feel constrained by outdated stereotypes. We recognise that this isn’t going to be easy for those at the forefront of the change but we also know that for many dads the nerves they feel about having a conversation with their boss around leave will be worth it in the end. Countless research studies show that more time with dads early on leads to better outcomes for children, not to mention the special family bond it creates. We also know that many employers are incredibly supportive and keen to offer mums and dads more flexibility. Employers will see the benefit in terms of staff loyalty and providing women the option to return to work earlier. That’s why employers like Shell, Deloitte, Linklaters, PwC and the civil service are offering parents enhanced shared parental pay in line with their maternity packages.”
To help parents understand their rights and responsibilities, BIS and Acas have a top tips guide to Shared Parental Leave:
the first thing to do is make sure you are eligible for Shared Parental Leave. This quick and easy online tool will do the hard work for you talk to your partner before speaking to your employer. The combinations are flexible so make sure they fit around your life and work for you as a couple. Maybe you want to double up in the early days for extra support or you might decide to tag-team halfway through – the choice is yours have the conversation with your employer as early as you can. The sooner you do, the easier it will be to make plans for your time away from the work. Remember you
CIPP Policy News Journal
08/04/2015, Page 473 of 521
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