terry jones
Shrewsbury, Abbey House 01743 285 888
Shrewsbury, Talbot House 01743 218 450
Syer House, Telford 01952 297 979
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • Careers
    • Part of Metamorph Group
  • Personal Advice
    • Children and Child Care
    • Crime
    • Disputed wills and probate
    • Divorce and Family Matters
    • Prenuptial agreements
    • Domestic Violence
    • Elderly Client including Funding Care
    • Employment
    • Landlord and Tenant
    • Medical Negligence
    • Motoring
    • Occupational Disease
    • Personal Injury
    • Private Litigation
    • Residential Property
    • Wills, Trusts and Estates
    • Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)
  • Business Advice
    • Agriculture
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Commercial Property
    • Corporate and Commercial
    • Employment
    • Landlord Property Litigation
  • Our Costs
    • Residential Property
    • Employment Tribunals (Employees)
    • Employment Tribunals (Employers)
    • Motoring
    • Probate (Uncontested with all assets in the UK)
  • News
  • Contact Us

We have adopted the Metamorph Group’s Legal Terms and Conditions. Please click below to view.

Read Terms

We have adopted the Metamorph Group’s feedback process. Please click below to view

Feedback

We have adopted the Metamorph Group’s complaint process. Please click below to view

Complaints

We are part of the Metamorph Group. Please view our group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement on their website by clicking below

View Statement

We have adopted the Metamorph Group’s Data Management policy. Please click below to view

Data Managment

Do parents have different rights in the workplace?

June 23, 2021

Having a new arrival in the family can completely change your whole perspective on life. Suddenly, this little bundle of joy is not only the centre of your world, but it pushes other aspects of your life to one side as well, including work. With so many people reconsidering their work/life balance not just because they’ve become a new parent, but because of the effects of home working during lockdown, it’s important to know exactly what your rights are as a parent.

Are you allowed to take time off? Is that time off paid or unpaid? And what if your boss decides to say no when you ask for parental leave?

What are your rights?

Being a working parent is tough, but despite a raft of legislation designed to make it easier to get that work/life balance right, many parents don’t actually know what they’re entitled to, or what kind of parental leave they can take, and when. Research has found that 41% of parents didn’t know they could take unpaid leave to look after their children, and 75% of those asked had never taken advantage of it, even if they were aware of the entitlement.

It seems that the question of parental rights in the workplace is confusing, contradictory, and in many cases, as clear as mud. The talk in the press of the proposal to scrap shared parental leave hasn’t helped matters, and has led to concern that parents’ rights in the workplace are being eroded from the top down.

However, it doesn’t have to be, and the rights of parents to take paternal leave are enshrined in legislation. They boil down to the following:

Maternity leave

All women who are employees are fully entitled to a total of 52 weeks’ maternity leave. If you take just half of that and return to your job after six months then it must be under the same terms and conditions as when you took your leave. So that means the same wage, the same entitlements, and the same position as before.

If you return to work after more than six months then you can return to your old position, unless your employer can establish it is ‘not reasonably practicable’ for you to do so. In that case, your employer must offer you an alternative position with similar pay, entitlements and conditions.

Under maternity leave, a woman is entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay as long as she has worked for the employer before she became pregnant and continues to be employed up to 15 weeks before the baby’s due date. Maternity pay (at the time of writing) is 90% of your earnings for the first six weeks, then 90% or £151.97/week (whichever is lower) for 33 weeks.  However, check your contract of employment as some employers offer more generous contractual maternity pay.

Paternity leave

Fathers/partners who are employed are entitled to paternity leave, but there are caveats – you must have worked for your employer continuously for 26 weeks at the end of the 15th week before the baby is due. Leave is two weeks, and you must take it between the day of the birth and up to 56 days after. You’ll get Statutory Paternity Pay of 90% of your average earnings or £151.97/week, whichever is the lesser amount.

Shared parental leave

This is the one that many people find confusing, but shared parental leave is a right for employed parents as long as both parents are working. If one parent is self-employed then they still qualify for shared parental leave.

The leave can be taken at any time during the baby’s first year, but remember that the mother will already have two weeks of compulsory maternity leave, so shared parental leave covers 50 weeks leave and 37 weeks of pay that can be shared.

Shared parental leave is triggered by the mother cutting her maternity leave short so the father or partner can take the balance. The pay is the same as maternity and paternity leave statutory pay (i.e. the capped amount of £151.97 per week).

With only around 6% of parents taking full advantage of the opportunity to take shared parental leave, it is a massively under-used resource for new parents. It should be noted that scrapping shared parental leave is now being considered due to the lack of uptake, and different options being considered.

Dealing with the unexpected

In addition to maternity and paternity leave, parents are also entitled to time off to look after their child. If you have worked for your employer for over one year, you can take up to 18 weeks’ unpaid leave until your child reaches 18. Employers and parents should work together to agree how and when this can be taken.

Additionally, parents are entitled to emergency unpaid leave for dependants should a child fall sick or childcare arrangements fall through unexpectedly. Generally, this would only be expected to last for one or two days.

Talk to an employment law expert

If you’re not sure of how the rules apply to you, or you have an issue with an employer who may be preventing you from taking full advantage of paid and unpaid leave options, talk to an employment law specialist today.

< < back to latest news

Archive

  • AN INCREASE IN THE AGE TO MARRY
  • Cohabiting couples and wills
  • What happens to digital assets when someone dies?
  • Prenuptial agreements – are these legally binding?
  • A parental guide to PLO/pre-proceedings
  • 5 reasons to review your Will
  • Getting divorced – the 2022 way
  • Maternity scandal in Shrewsbury
  • Key details your divorce lawyer should know at your first meeting
  • Mental health in the workplace – What can employers do?
  • Court of Protection FAQs, Part 2
  • Court of Protection FAQs, Part 1
  • How can a family lawyer help with domestic abuse?
  • Why all parents should have a will in place
  • Coping with redundancy – what to do when faced with the unexpected
  • Do I need to wait to start my divorce until the new divorce rules come in?
  • Everything you need to know about cohabitation agreements
  • Judicial/Legal Separation – What is it?
  • Debt after death
  • Considerations to make before preparing your Will
  • Top 5 tips for moving house with young children
  • 5 tips for a Happy New Year after a divorce
  • Talking to your teenager about divorce
  • Good Divorce Week 2021
  • White Ribbon Day
  • The benefits of an unregistered LPA
  • Life after the stamp duty holiday
  • What will the property market look like in 2022?
  • Why you need an LPA in your 20s
  • Christmas contact arrangements for the children, how to resolve this early.
  • Why planning for the future is essential
  • Are DIY divorces on the rise?
  • Employline – Your online HR department
  • Settlement agreements – what to do when you receive one
  • Can I challenge a will?
  • Divorce in the forces
  • ABI – When to claim
  • Domestic violence awareness month
  • Land and professional deputies – how to make life a bit easier
  • Terry Jones Solicitors has a new home in Telford
  • Walk, run or swim 5.5km for 50 days – Charity event
  • Are the Government’s care home fee proposals too good to be true?
  • Divorcing after the summer holidays
  • Home insurance legal protection – what is it, and do you really need it?
  • Contentious probate – what are the rules?
  • NO FAULT DIVORCE – A BREAKTHROUGH IN FAMILY LAW
  • Will your Family Trust do what you expect it to do?
  • Do parents have different rights in the workplace?
  • Managing long covid in the workplace
  • What is a clean break order?
  • Can future employers look at your social media profiles?
  • Cohabitation agreements: the common law marriage myth
  • Domestic violence – what is coercive control and how can we help?
  • The stay on possession proceedings has been extended with an important change
  • Telling children about separation and divorce
  • Making decisions about divorce when children are involved
  • I want a divorce – what do I need to do?
  • When do you need a solicitor for divorce?
  • Good Divorce Week 2020
  • Premarital agreements: what’s changed in the last decade?
  • Covid-19 and the value of the family home upon divorce
  • Coronavirus and childcare: facilitating contact in the ‘rule of six’ era
  • Jackie Finds New Family at Terry Jones Solicitors
  • Significant surge in divorces
  • Understanding restrictive covenants and furlough leave
  • Redundancy rockets in the UK
  • Furlough scheme enters its next phase in September 2020
  • Coronavirus eviction ban to be extended by four weeks
  • How do self-isolation rules affect Statutory Sick Pay?
  • Potential criminal charges for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust
  • Gas Safety Certificates and Section 21 notices – a new ruling
  • Action Mesothelioma Day 2020: the dangers of asbestos in the workplace
  • Flexible furlough: how does it work?
  • No-fault divorces: ending the ‘blame game’
  • Ban on tenant evictions extended to August 2020
  • Redundancy and furlough leave
  • Collaborative Law and Covid-19
  • Can you recoup ‘no win, no fee’ legal costs in Inheritance Act Claims?
  • Changes in Employment – what are your rights?
  • What is a protective award claim?
  • Your family law lockdown questions answered
  • Continuing to help make Wills
  • Companies House strike off policy and late filing penalties (Covid-19 changes)
  • Domestic Violence during the Covid-19 Pandemic
  • Employment law support for your dental practice
  • What is a Settlement Agreement?
  • Be wary of ‘DIY’ probate
  • Closing the gap on forgotten employees
  • How effective is your Force Majeure clause?
  • “I don’t need a Lasting Power of Attorney as my family will look after me”
  • Landlord and Tenant court hearings
  • Companies House extension for filing annual accounts
  • Updates for landlords, April 2020 – COVID-19
  • Employment law pitfalls in a pandemic
  • COVID-19 Your holiday entitlement
  • Making redundancies due to coronavirus
  • Family Court Guidance during COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: What is furlough leave
  • Still here for you
  • Property & Finance Attorney under Lasting Power of Attorney
  • CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE
  • 2020 has brought about exciting changes for our residential team
  • Freedom for All – Domestic Violence, Divorce and Pets
  • Season’s Greetings
  • It’s nearly that time of year again, Christmas is getting closer
  • Elf Day for the Alzheimer’s Society Charity
  • Who gets custody of the pet?
  • Are you concerned about your relationship?
  • An Ageing Population
  • Divorce is just as much an emotional process as a legal one
  • Braving the Zip Line for Charity
  • First Class Law Graduates
  • Shrewsbury Flower Show – A resounding success
  • To Pre-Nup or not to Pre-Nup?
  • Another successful show at Newport
  • PPI Claim Deadline is 29th August 2019
  • Ellen addresses audience at Ludlow Property Conference
  • New Trainee Solicitors
  • Need advice? Email us enquiries@terry-jones.co.uk

    Terry Jones Solicitors is a trading style of MLL Ltd. Registered as a limited company in England and Wales, registration number 05907992. Company registered address is at Sale Point, 126-150 Washway Road, Sale, Manchester, M33 6AG. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID 446632). VAT registration number 742326449.

    Names of Directors are available upon request.
    MLL Ltd is part of the Metamorph Group. See here for the Groups full legal and regulatory information.

    Cookies | Privacy Notice | Terms and Conditions | Feedback | Complaints | Equality & Diversity

    © 2022 Copyright Terry Jones Solicitors

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. To find out more and amend your preferences, please visit our Cookie Policy page.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    Save & Accept
    Powered by CookieYes Logo