Shared parental leave and pay is available to parents of babies due on or after 5 April 2015.
It allows women to curtail their maternity leave to enable their partner to take shared parental leave (SPL).
Parents can share 50 weeks’ leave and 37 weeks’ pay, with similar rules for adoptive parents. Here we present in-depth guidance on SPL for employers.
Shared parental leave: enhanced pay is key to take-up
Employers that enhance shared parental pay are twice as likely to receive shared parental leave requests as those who offer the statutory rate, according to research released today by XpertHR…
Shared parental leave: what impact has it had?
What impact has shared parental leave had on your organisation over the past year? XpertHR is conducting a survey of employers’ shared parental leave and pay arrangements and invites you…
Budget 2016: shared grandparental leave proposals to be unveiled in May
The first consultation on the extension of shared parental leave to grandparents will be launched in May, Chancellor George Osborne announced in the Budget. Grandparental leave: current options for employees…
Discontinuous leave
Shared parental leave and pay – equalising opportunities?
With reports citing that only 1% of those eligible took a period of shared parental leave in 2018 it is easy to overlook the potential value that SPL can offer.…
Shared parental leave: removing financial barriers could encourage uptake
UCL research suggests that shared parental leave is failing, with financial implications and strict eligibility creating barriers…
Maternity, paternity and shared (grand)parental leave webinar
ON DEMAND |What do employers need to consider when an employee or an employee’s partner has a baby? Parental rights in recent years have been broadened to include the mother’s …
Enhanced pay
Majority offer enhanced maternity and paternity pay
Almost two-thirds of organisations offer enhanced maternity pay and most offer paternity pay that is more generous than statutory requirements.
Campaigners urge government to scrap shared parental leave
Campaigners call on government to scrap shared parental leave in favour of meaningful reform that tackles childcare inequality.
Senior partner criticises high pay for new lawyers
Senior partner at Pinsent Masons Richard Foley says six-figure salaries for newly qualified lawyers are unsustainable.
201% increase in jobs offering extended parental leave
Labour presses for stronger maternity redundancy protection
Labour wants stronger protections for pregnant employees and new mothers, as well as the reinstatement of gender pay gap reporting enforcement.
Majority offer enhanced maternity and paternity pay
Almost two-thirds of organisations offer enhanced maternity pay and most offer paternity pay that is more generous than statutory requirements.
Campaigners urge government to scrap shared parental leave
Campaigners call on government to scrap shared parental leave in favour of meaningful reform that tackles childcare inequality.
Shared parental leave: Will the pandemic increase childcare equality?
Will the pandemic bring about a shift in perception of fathers accessing parental leave or is there a need for a more drastic approach?
April 2021 employment law changes: five things for HR to do
An annual update on the changes to employment law that are happening in April 2021 – IR35, national living wage, statutory pay rates...
Volvo unveils global paid parental leave policy
Volvo Cars has today announced the global roll-out of its brand new ‘Family Bond’ paid parental leave policy after a...
Establish a legal right to furlough for working parents: TUC
Major survey finds 78% of working mothers have not been able to gain furlough funding.
April 2021 statutory maternity, paternity and sick pay rates published
The government has published the proposed statutory rates for maternity pay, paternity pay, shared parental pay, adoption pay, parental bereavement...
Senior partner criticises high pay for new lawyers
Senior partner at Pinsent Masons Richard Foley says six-figure salaries for newly qualified lawyers are unsustainable.
Want to help working mothers? Focus on paternity
What stereotypes need to be broken down before working mothers can achieve a level playing field?
Covid-19: One in five parents treated unfairly at work
Approximately 2.6 million parents feel they have been treated less fairly at work because of their childcare responsibilities since the...
Personnel Today Awards 2020: Family Friendly Employer shortlist
As we prepare to celebrate the Personnel Today Awards in November, it’s time to showcase those organisations that made the...
Ten years of the Equality Act 2010: key cases for employers
Ten years ago, the Equality Act 2010 consolidated discrimination laws into a single piece of legislation. We highlight 10 key...
Calls to extend parental leave during Covid-19 rejected
Calls to extend parental leave and pay for families because of the Covid-19 pandemic have been rejected by the government,...
Take-up of shared parental leave still ‘exceptionally low’
Although the use of shared parental leave increased by 23 percentage points last year only 13,100 couples applied to use the scheme.
Browse more SPL content, sorted by date
Shared parental leave – external resources
ACAS
A good practice guide for employers and employees (719kB PDF)
SPL summary process (68kB PDF)
GOV.UK
Shared parental leave and pay: employer guide
Shared parental leave and pay: employers’ technical guide
The Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014
XpertHR
SPL policy (children expected to be born on or after 5 April 2015)
Letter explaining to employees the new right to SPL
Letter explaining to managers the new right to SPL
SPL contract clause