Last month, the Government updated the legislation on paternity and adoption leave, marking a shift to a more flexible and fair system for parents and families.
The newly amended legislation, the Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024, came into force on 8 March 2024, and only applies to children born or adopted after 6 April 2024.
The amended legislation contains a variety of changes, including:
- Paternity leave start date —currently leave must be taken within the first 56 days following the child’s birth or adoption. From 6 April 2024, paternity leave can be taken anytime during the 52 weeks from the birth or adoption of the child.
- Paternity leave entitlement — currently employees that become fathers are entitled to two weeks paternity leave, but it must be taken at one time, as either two consecutive weeks, or only one week. This will change to a two-week entitlement that can be taken in two separate blocks, if an employee chooses to split it in this way.
- Paternity leave notice period — currently an employee must give their employer 15 weeks’ notice of leave before the expected week of birth or adoption. This will change to a 28-day notice period for paternity leave.
This is certainly a step forward for prospective parents. The option to take the two-week entitlement in separate blocks provides welcome flexibility for families. And the reduction in notice period further streamlines the process, ensuring a more manageable balance for both employers and employees. These changes reflect a commitment to support the evolving needs of families and promote a healthier work-life balance. Hopefully we’ll continue to see more changes like this in future!
Author: Abbey Kerr, CT: Payroll
