Shared Paternity Leave – A Quantum Leap For Guernsey?

Ahead of the planned deliberations by the States for the proposed maternity legislation next week, an amendment has been submitted to effectively introduce the concept of shared parental leave to Guernsey. The mechanics of how such a system would need to be worked out, but under the proposed amendment partners would be able to share the entitlement to either maternity or adoption leave (but excluding the 2 week period of compulsory maternity leave) as well as the 10 'Keeping in Touch' days. Although the amendment makes no mention of the fact, it is likely that if introduced employees would also require a minimum period of employment before becoming eligible.

At this stage it is not clear whether or not this amendment will have the necessary support to become law. However, if it were be approved alongside the rest of the package of measures to introduce new maternity laws to Guernsey, it would represent nothing short of quantum leap forward for Guernsey in terms of