Employers Should Prepare For Extended Maternity Leave Reforms Effective From September

Extended maternity and paternity leave provision comes into force from the start of next month and employers need to have updated handbooks, policies and contracts in time for the change.

The new rights offer 26 weeks of leave to parents with no qualifying period, with six weeks paid at the employee's usual full rate by their employer.

Partners will also have the right to attend an unlimited number of ante-natal appointments, with the first ten hours of appointments paid by their employer.

The current rules offer new mothers two weeks of paid leave, and an additional six weeks of unpaid leave – with an extra ten weeks of unpaid leave for employees with more than 15 months' service. Under the existing rules, new fathers are entitled to two weeks' unpaid leave, and do not have the right to time off for ante-natal appointments.