HEYFLOW POLICY GUIDES
Parental Leave
Policy Guide
Balancing work and care responsibilities can add pressure for many employees. Becoming a more parent-inclusive workplace can help boost productivity and build a sense of workplace belonging.
Flexible work options allow for greater balance. However, there may be times of unexpected periods when a parent may need to dedicate extra time to care for their child or plan for their welfare.
Having a clear parental leave policy lets employees know the options available to them when these moments occur.
Context
The inclusion points are not an exhaustive list for all working environments and some may just apply for desk jobs. These policy guides, are just that, guides. Make sure to check with your country’s current laws and see your own legal advice.
Who is a Parental Leave policy for?
A parental leave policy is for employees with children, and for those who want to support those that do.
Every employee is legally entitled to 18 weeks unpaid parental leave per child from the age of 0-18 (i.e. one week for every year). The Carer’s Leave Act allows for one week of unpaid leave per year for caring for relative or dependents.
This is true for all routes to parenthood and applies to parents of all genders and orientation.
Considerations for and possible points to include in a Parental Leave Policy
Paid parental leave
In most cases with parental leave, the situation would either be an emergency or extraneous circumstances. Where it is possible having at least partially paid leave during this period will help ease financial and emotional strain.
Other benefits during leave are also up to the discretion of the employer, so we’d also recommend making sure to extend these while people are on parental leave.
Allowing for days rather than weeks
Statutory parental leave is required to be taken a week at a time rather than daily unless the child is disabled, but it is at the discretion of the employer. Allowing daily leave to be taken can help cover shorter periods and be split up more effectively across the year.
Uncapped leave
Similarly, statutory parental leave is capped at four weeks per child within the year, but this is also at the employer's discretion. If there is a situation where a parent may need to take more than four weeks in the year, this may indicate that something wider should be addressed to help balance caring responsibilities and work.
This could look like offering a more flexible work pattern, or part-time options.
Medical support
If the cases needed for parental leave are due to a child’s health, offering private healthcare options which can include dependents as part of the policy may help offer more care options available, and thereby reduce the amount of leave needed.
Care support past children
Many care structures like community-based models i.e. support networks that are built outside of the ‘family’ are common and cases where leave or support are needed in that context, will likely fall outside of statutory parental leave or the Carers Leave Act, but will have the same emotional impact as a child, married partner or family member.
Having an expansive compassionate leave policy that is inclusive of all types of care responsibilities and emergencies allows for a greater sense of equality within a business. Often, with parent-specific benefits, non-parents feel a sense of ‘unfairness’ due to not having support for their specific needs because it doesn’t involve more traditional models.
Parental Leave Policy Structure
1. Purpose
This policy outlines the entitlement to parental leave for employees of [Company Name] in accordance with UK employment law. The purpose of parental leave is to allow parents to take time off work to look after their child's welfare, including bonding with a newborn, newly adopted child, or caring for a child with disabilities.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all employees of [Company Name] who meet the eligibility criteria outlined below.
3. Eligibility
To qualify for parental leave, an employee must:
Have or expect to have responsibility for a child, which includes:
Being the biological parent, adoptive parent, or having legal parental responsibility.
A child under 18 years of age.
4. Entitlement
Eligible employees are entitled to:
Unpaid Leave: Up to 18 weeks of unpaid parental leave per child, to be taken before the child’s 18th birthday.
Timeframe: Parental leave must be taken in blocks of one week (unless the child is disabled, in which case leave can be taken as individual days) and up to a maximum of four weeks per year per child.
[If you choose to make this flexible and/or paid leave, then adapt accordingly]
5. Notification Requirements
Employees are required to:
Provide at least 21 days' notice before the intended start date of the parental leave.
Submit a written request specifying the start and end dates of the leave.
If both parents work for [Company Name], they are required to coordinate their leave with each other to avoid overlap unless the employer agrees otherwise.
6. Postponement of Leave
[Company Name] reserves the right to postpone parental leave for up to six months if the leave would unduly disrupt business operations. However, leave cannot be postponed when it is requested to be taken immediately after the birth or adoption of a child.
In the event of postponement, [Company Name] will:
Provide written reasons for the postponement within seven days of the request.
Suggest an alternative start date within the following six months.
7. Protection and Return to Work
During parental leave, employees will retain the right to:
Return to the same job if they have taken four weeks or less.
Return to a similar job if more than four weeks have been taken.
Employees are protected from suffering any detriment or unfair dismissal for taking or seeking to take parental leave.
8. Record Keeping
[Company Name] will maintain records of all parental leave taken by employees. These records will include:
The amount of leave taken.
The start and end dates of the leave.
Any postponement requests and agreements.
9. Rights During Leave
During parental leave, employees’ continuity of service is maintained. However, as the leave is unpaid, there will be no salary, benefits, or accrual of annual leave during this period unless otherwise stated in the employee's contract.
[If you choose to make this paid leave, then adapt accordingly]
10. Additional Support
Employees may be eligible for other types of leave, such as Carers Leave. Employees are encouraged to consult with the HR department for guidance on available options.
11. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed regularly and may be updated in line with changes to UK employment law or [Company Name]'s business requirements.
12. Contact Information
For any questions regarding this policy, employees should contact the HR department at [HR Contact Information].
Note: These policy guides, are just that, guides. Make sure to check with your country’s current laws and see your own legal advice.