51% of parents unaware Shared Parental Leave is coming into force

Nick Elvin

More than half of parents and parents-to-be (51%) are unaware of the changes in maternity and paternity leave due to be introduced in April, according to research from My Family Care.

And 68% of those questioned who did know about the new rules were unsure of what they mean, incorrectly believing that both mother and father will have equal rights or thinking that both parents will be able to access the same level of parental leave pay.

It will, in fact, depend on what individual companies offer, and the mother will have more rights to control how and when she will take her leave and how much she wants to share with her partner. The legal minimum requirement is for her to have the first two weeks with her new baby, and then she will have the freedom to decide if she wants to stay on maternity leave or share the remaining 50 weeks with her partner.

Ben Black, director of My Family Care, said: “It’s a mere two months until Shared Parental Leave comes into force – one of the biggest changes in maternity and paternity leave that the Government has made since introducing Statutory Maternity Leave.

“However, it is worrying to see that there are still so many parents and parents-to-be unaware of the changes, as they could dramatically alter their outlook for the future and their role as parents.

“The introduction of Shared Parental Leave is a hugely encouraging step by the Government as it highlights their recognition of men and women as equal in the workplace, and at home, while encouraging companies to think more deeply about their workforce and helping employees balance work and family.”

My Family Care also points out research issued earlier this month for The Work & Family Show that found more than half of women (54%) believe that their jobs are under threat when they go on maternity leave, while 42% of mothers said they were afraid to tell their bosses about their pregnancies.

The research also looked at how people who had left their jobs to care for a loved one felt. Nearly a quarter (25%) said they felt they had lost their sense of self since becoming a carer while 16% said they were worried about getting back into the workforce since taking time out to be a carer.

Black added: “It’s believed that 50,000 people will quit their jobs this year due to their caring responsibilities as they struggle to balance work and family. However, balancing work and family can be done and it’s up to employers to support their staff and for individuals to find ways to achieve that happy medium which ensures that goals are met at work and everybody is happy at home.”