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ARTICLE · 03 OCTOBER 2014

Why Can't Men Have Babies?

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It's now time for businesses to start planning how they are going to deal with Shared Parental Leave, as the legislation comes into force on 1st December 2014.

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Richard Isham
Richard Isham

It's now time for businesses to start planning how they are going to deal with Shared Parental Leave, as the legislation comes into force on 1st December 2014. Shared Parental Leave ("SPL") will apply in relation to children who are due to be born on or after 5th April 2015. It also applies to children who are placed for adoption on or after that date.

How does SPL work?

Subject to giving eight weeks' notice, employees can share up to 50 weeks of SPL (the first two weeks' is compulsory maternity leave for the mother):

  • at any point in the first year following the birth or adoption of the child;
  • concurrently with the mother's maternity leave (once she has given notice to cease her maternity leave), paternity leave or parental leave; and

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