Family Rights & Time Off

Recently Introduced

31 March 2024 –  All leave carried over under now revoked Covid rules had to be taken by this date.

1 April 2024 – For holiday years beginning on or after this date, holiday entitlement for irregular hours workers can be calculated by using the 12.07% calculation and rolled-up holiday is possible again.

6 April 2024 – The Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 now allows paternity leave to be taken anytime in the first 52 weeks  after birth or adoption and as 2 separate weeks rather than just a single 1 or 2 week block.

6 April 2024 – The Maternity Leave, Adoption Leave and Shared Parental Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 extended redundancy protection for a period of 18 months after birth or placement of a child.

6 April 2024 – The Carer’s Leave Regulations 2024 introduced a new statutory right to unpaid carer’s leave.

6 April 2024 – The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 brought in the following changes such as 2 requests in a year, lower time limit on responding to a requests and there is now a requirement to consult on alternatives before refusing a request.

6 April 2024 – The Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023, removed the requirement for employees to have at least 26 weeks’ service to make a request, now a day one right.

Announced

Awaiting further details

• The Employment Rights Bill 2024-25 was introduced on 10 October 2024 but is yet to be ratified,  including:

  • Protection for pregnant women and new mothers: Enhanced protection extending to six months after returning the work, except in “specific circumstances”
  • Paternity Leave: will be a right from day one of employment (bringing into line with maternity). Parents will also be able to take their Paternity leave and pay after their Shared Parental Leave and pay.
  • Parental Leave: will be an unpaid right from day one of employment
  • Bereavement Leave: will be a new unpaid right from day one of employment, replacing parental bereavement leave with same provisions (i.e. 2 weeks to be taken separately or together)

  The ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ outlined the Government’s future intentions, including:

  • Right to Disconnect: This will be a new right to ‘switch off’ i.e. not to regularly work outside normal hours, not to be penalised for refusing to work outside normal hours with the Employer to respect the rights e.g. not calling and emailing regularly outside normal hours

Implemented

Implementation dates announced – time to prepare

• Watch this space!

Content will be added as the changes are introduced, so keep checking back!