Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

AdoptionShared parental leaveMaternityLatest NewsPaternity

Jersey to offer 52 weeks’ parental leave to all parents

by Jo Faragher 25 Oct 2019
by Jo Faragher 25 Oct 2019 Jersey will offer 52 weeks' leave to all parents when the proposals become law
PA/PA Archive/PA Images
Jersey will offer 52 weeks' leave to all parents when the proposals become law
PA/PA Archive/PA Images

New parents in Jersey will be offered up to 52 weeks’ leave in new legislation that has been described as “trailblazing”.

The States Assembly – Jersey’s parliament – voted 38-6 in favour of the proposed legislation, which will be open to both parents in up to three blocks over two years.

Jersey employment rights

Jersey: Equal opportunities

The island currently only offers 26 weeks of leave as statutory, half the time offered to new mothers in the UK. Jersey politicians rejected an amendment to offer six months rather than a year to both new parents.

The proposition to change the law on parental leave, made by social security minister Judy Martin, had previously faced some opposition in the States with concerns it would have a negative impact on employers.

New fathers will be able to receive six weeks of paid leave, increased from the previous entitlement (and current UK entitlement) of two weeks on full pay. Parents can take the shared leave at the same time should they wish.

The proposals also include a requirement that employers take reasonable steps to provide facilities for breastfeeding mothers, and allow women to request breastfeeding breaks at work.

Adoptive and surrogate parents will be able to take time off work for appointments, and where necessary, pregnant and breastfeeding women will be able to take paid leave on health and safety grounds.

However, John Le Baily, a member who voted against a review of the changes in two years’ time, said: “I have it on good authority that this breastfeeding thing is a current fad.”

The law should come into force between June and July 2020. The States also voted to approve a review of the policy after 24 months.

Announcing the proposed changes to the law, Martin said: “This extension of employment rights is progressive and inclusive.

“Our proposed changes to the law follow consultation with employers and employees, undertaken by the Employment Forum in 2017. We want to improve the situation for parents in the workplace, giving families more choice and flexibility to help meet their work and family responsibilities. The changes we are proposing will also encourage gender balance in childcare roles.

“The 2016 Jersey Lifestyle and Opinions Survey found that around two-thirds of men had not taken any parental leave at all and 92 percent of men said they would have liked to have taken more leave. We hope that by providing longer defined periods of leave for each parent, both parents will be able to take an equal part in parental responsibility and encourage a culture change in local workplaces.”

HR opportunities in Accountancy, Banking, Finance and Insurance on Personnel Today

Browse more HR opportunities in Accountancy, Banking, Finance and Insurance

Jo Faragher
Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Jo is also the author of 'Good Work, Great Technology', published in 2022 by Clink Street Publishing, charting the relationship between effective workplace technology and productive and happy employees. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
Just a quarter make lifestyle choices to cut cardiovascular disease risk
next post
Supreme Court rules in favour of inventor in Unilever diabetes case

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Employers hit by payroll cyberattack receive ultimatum

7 Jun 2023

Personnel Today Awards 2023: entry deadline extended

7 Jun 2023

CBI members vote to support renewal plans

6 Jun 2023

Government responds to umbrella company call for evidence

6 Jun 2023

Gender pensions gap is more a ‘gaping chasm’

6 Jun 2023

UKG buys global payroll provider Immedis

6 Jun 2023

BBC, Boots and BA see employee data hit...

6 Jun 2023

Why embracing big data is HR’s key to...

6 Jun 2023

Portugal launches four-day week trial

6 Jun 2023

Report recommends student loan-style scheme for pilot training

5 Jun 2023

  • The HR Bundle: Your one-stop guide to building a successful global HR Department PROMOTED | Get your hands on Deel’s free HR bundle...Read more
  • The Benefits of an Employee Assistance Programme PROMOTED | EAPs support employees in a range of ways...Read more
  • Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations PROMOTED | The benefits and challenges of intergenerational workplaces...Read more
  • Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right PROMOTED | HR professionals play an essential role...Read more
  • UK workforce mental wellbeing needs PROMOTED | The mental wellbeing support employers are providing misses the mark...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+