Additional paternity leave and pay regulations published
The Government has published six sets of draft regulations to enable the introduction of additional paternity leave and pay. The regulations will apply to parents of babies due on or after 3 April 2011 and for adoptive parents who are notified of having been matched with a child on or after that date.
The Work and Families Act 2006 allows for the introduction of statutory rights to additional paternity leave and pay. The Additional Paternity Leave and Pay scheme will come into force on 6 April 2010 and will apply to parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011, or to adoptive parents who are notified of having been matched with a child on or after 3 April 2011.
Additional paternity leave and pay will provide eligible employees with the right to up to six months’ leave to care for a child, if the child’s mother or, in the case of adoptions, the primary adopter returns to work without exercising their full entitlement to maternity or adoption leave. Some of that leave may be paid if it is taken during the mother’s maternity pay period or, for adopted children, during the primary adopter’s adoption pay period. Guidance on the new rights will be put in place before 3 April 2011 to ensure that employers and employees are aware of the changes and have sufficient information about them.
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
