February 06, 2012
The right to unpaid parental leave for UK workers has been postponed until 2013, as the government cites “the ongoing development of its Modern Workplaces policy”.
Current parental leave guidelines grant those with children under the age of five 13 weeks’ unpaid leave to care for their children. But under the Parental Leave Directive, said parents will instead each have the right to take up to 18 weeks' unpaid parental leave.
The Parental Leave Directive comes into force on 8 March 2012, however the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) believes the government will invoke a “grace period”, allowing EU member states to delay implementation of the changes by one year.
"The Government is saying that it is necessary to delay the increase to parental leave due to the ongoing Modern Workplaces policy development, although the parental leave increase seems quite straightforward and will still come in more than two years ahead of the changes to family leave proposed in the Modern Workplaces consultation,” said Susie Munro, Employment Law Editor at XpertHR.
"Whether or not the extension to the implementation date is justified is unlikely to be an issue though, as few employees currently take their full entitlement to unpaid parental leave as it is. It is unlikely that there will be much of a push for the increase to be brought forward."
If you’re struggling to get your head around current and upcoming parental leave changes, seeking advice could make all the difference to your life as a parent. Contact our employment experts today and we’ll make sure you know your rights with regard to changes in the Parental Leave Directive.
