Shared parental leave calculator

As our readers will be aware, for parents of babies due on or after 5 April 2015 a new system of “shared parental leave” will be available. In short, a mother will be able to “share” 50 weeks of her maternity leave and 37 weeks of maternity pay with an eligible father. Periods of leave can be taken consecutively or concurrently and strict notification rules apply.

To assist parents in calculating their shared parental leave eligibility and pay entitlements the Department of Business, Innovation and Skill (BIS) has developed an online calculator. This will also be a useful tool for employers who wish to consider and calculate employee entitlements.

Other useful publications for employers on Shared Parental Leave to date include:

ACAS’ Good Practice Guide:

http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/r/q/Shared-Parental-Leave-a-good-practice-guide-for-employers-and-employees.pdf

BIS’ Technical Guide:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389716/bis-14-1329-Employers-technical-guide-to-shared-parental-leave-and-pay.pdf

Employers should have updated their policies/Staff Handbook to make reference to the new right and the detailed procedure for requesting and taking leave.

If your business has not yet done so, or wishes to take further advice on the process, please contact Rebecca Streets at: rebecca.streets@irwinmitchell.com or on 0113 394 6849.