What do the paternity leave changes mean for you?
New rules allowing more flexibility around when statutory paternity leave can be taken are now in force (8 March 2024).
Designed to reflect society’s changing attitudes to gender equality, shared parental responsibility and work life balance, the draft Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 are now up and running.
What are the key changes to paternity leave rules?
With a more family friendly focus, changes to the former statutory regime allow new fathers more choice:
- The two-week paternity leave can now be taken in separate, non-consecutive one-week chunks or a single period of one week or two weeks.
- Leave and pay can be taken at any point within the baby’s first year, a big increase on the previous time limit of within 56 days.
- The notice period for taking leave and pay is considerably shortened to four weeks instead of 15.
- The rate of statutory paternity leave rises from £172.48 to £185.03 a week, still considered by many as woefully low.
Who do the new statutory paternity leave rules apply to?
If you are a parent whose baby is expected to be born after 6 April 2024, you can take advantage of the new rules.
So too can a parent who is expecting to have a child placed for adoption with them on or after 6 April 2024.
To be eligible for leave and pay, employees need six months continuous service.
The self-employed, or those who earn less than £123 a week, are not eligible.
What do employers need to do now?
Improvements to paternity leave are one of a number of family friendly initiatives introduced by the government and include changes to the right to request flexible working, the extension of the period of protection from redundancy for pregnant workers and new parents (read more about this here ) and the introduction of carers leave.
It's important to update your current policies and procedures to comply with the new laws as well as training managers and making sure all employees are aware of any new rights.
Get in touch
If you need advice about this area of the law, please contact Wards Solicitors’ specialist Employment Team.
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