BIS publishes guidance for employers on shared parental leave and pay

Eligible employees will have a new statutory entitlement to shared parental leave and pay from April next year. Are you ready? Would guidance by BIS help?

To help employers prepare for the new law the BIS have published an Employers’ Technical Guide to Shared Parental Leave and Pay to provide technical guidance for employers who think their employee(s) may be eligible.

The intention is to allow families more choice over how they look after their children in the first year. Existing rules on maternity and ordinary paternity leave and pay remain the same. Additional paternity leave and pay will be abolished.

Shared parental leave means that eligible fathers and partners will be able to request more leave from work in the first year following their child’s birth. Because it is shareable, there will also be cases where eligible mothers will return to work early because the child’s father or their partner is taking leave in their place.

This guidance provides a summary of the legislation and covers the following areas:

• Eligibility criteria
• Ending maternity or adoption leave and pay to create shared parental leave and pay
• Knowing whether your employee qualifies for shared parental leave and pay
• How much shared parental leave and pay can be taken?
• Arrangements for “booking” shared parental leave and pay
• Employees who change their shared parental leave plans
• When shared parental leave and pay can be taken
• Frequently Asked Questions on shared parental leave and pay

You can download the guidance here