The new law on Shared Parental Leave will be introduced on 1 December 2014, subject to parliamentary approval.
This means that parents whose children are due to be born or placed after 5th April 2015 will have access to a fully flexible system of parental leave. Eligible parents will be able to take up to 50 weeks of Shared Parental Leave (and receive up to 37 weeks of pay) in total, and can share it as they want, allowing them to take leave together or in alternating blocks. The regulations will be in force from 1 December 2014 to take account of early births.
For more advice, contact the Branch office.