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New legislation set to revolutionise maternity leave

Radical reforms will allow both parents to share up to a year’s leave to look after their new-born children. The new legislation will come into effect from April 2015, and the changes will allow fathers to play a greater role in raising their child, help mothers to return to work at a time that’s right for them, and create more flexible workplaces to boost the economy.

Under the new system of flexible parental leave, parents will be able to choose how they share care of their child in the first year after birth. Employed mothers will still be entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave. However, working parents will be able to opt to share the leave.

Mothers will have to take at least the initial two weeks of leave after the birth as a recovery period, but following that they can choose to end the maternity leave and the parents can opt to share the remaining leave as flexible parental leave. It will be up to both parents to decide how they share the remaining weeks of the leave.

Jannine Oates, managing director of Yorkshire based leadership development and coaching business Inspirit has joined forces with on demand HR specialist Black Ink HR to create Synergy, a unique programme that allows both employer and employee make the most from the new flexible working structure.

“The changes are great news for both employer and employee,” said Jannine. “With the right support and the ability to combine career and family commitments successfully it will ensure a more engaged, productive and loyal workforce.”

Mat Livesy, of Black Ink HR thinks the changes will bring the UK more in line with Europe and moves away from the current antiquated law.

The new entitlement will allow both parents to keep a strong link with their workplace, helping employers attract and retain women in their organisation and preventing women dropping out of the workforce following childbirth. The aim is that women will face less of a ‘career penalty’ for taking an extensive period of time off.

Employers will benefit from being able to make the most of the entire talent pool that the increased flexibility allows.

Should parents choose to take advantage of flexible leave, mothers and fathers can opt into the flexible parental leave system at any point from the initial two week recovery period after the birth.

A survey undertaken by Onepoll earlier this year showed that one in seven of the 1,000 women surveyed had lost their job while on maternity leave; 40% said their jobs had changed by the time they returned, with half reporting a cut in hours or demotion. More than a tenth had been replaced in their jobs by the person who had covered their maternity leave.

It also revealed that on returning to work almost a third of mothers felt they didn’t fit in anymore and two in five felt they lacked support.

“Supporting the employer to ensure they know how to liaise with the employee and keep lines of communication open throughout the maternity leave is key to working mothers returning to their role feeling supported and empowered,” said Mat Livsey.

Though the new legislation doesn’t come into effect until April 2015, those planning on starting or extending their family will be affected from August 2014 as their right to maternity leave and pay will fall into the new laws the following year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Cat Yaffe .