Under new laws which have recently received Royal Assent, parents will receive additional support in relation to neonatal care and additional workplace protection from redundancy during pregnancy and family leave.
Under the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act, pregnant women and new parents will see an extension of existing redundancy protections, to cover pregnancy and a period of time after parents return to work. Currently, parents are only protected from redundancy whilst on maternity leave, adoption leave or shared parental leave.
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act will allow parents whose newborn baby is admitted to neonatal care to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave, in addition to other leave entitlements such as maternity and paternity leave. The length of leave and statutory neonatal pay will be based on how long their baby receives neonatal care, and will apply if their baby receives neonatal care for more than seven continuous days before they reach 28 days old.
Both of these new laws will require more detailed legislation to implement them so are not likely to come into effect until next year.
Under the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act, pregnant women and new parents will see an extension of existing redundancy protections, to cover pregnancy and a period of time after parents return to work. Currently, parents are only protected from redundancy whilst on maternity leave, adoption leave or shared parental leave.
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act will allow parents whose newborn baby is admitted to neonatal care to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave, in addition to other leave entitlements such as maternity and paternity leave. The length of leave and statutory neonatal pay will be based on how long their baby receives neonatal care, and will apply if their baby receives neonatal care for more than seven continuous days before they reach 28 days old.
Both of these new laws will require more detailed legislation to implement them so are not likely to come into effect until next year.
