Having a baby is one of the proudest moments in any parent’s life and making those precious first memories with a newborn is an exciting time for both mother and father.
New Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) regulations, to be introduced on Monday, December 1, will allow those who are due to welcome babies or adopted children on or after the April 5, 2015, to make the most of the early days of parenthood.
The introduction of SPL and ShPP will give parents, partners or adopters the opportunity of additional flexibility in sharing caring responsibilities, allowing both parents to take time off work to care for their new arrival.
HR and law employment firm, Empire, advises employers how the new scheme will affect them.
Operations director of Empire, Donna Gibb, said: “Parents will not be obliged to take SPL once the new scheme is in place, however it important for employers to discuss the most beneficial maternity and paternity options with employees to ensure they understand the different opportunities they have regarding their maternity or paternity leave.”
