Increase in unpaid parental leave

As of last month parents are entitled to an additional five weeks’ unpaid parental leave.

In accordance with the revised EU Parental Leave Directive, parents who have been with their employer for a year or more are now entitled to 18 weeks each per child. The leave must be taken before the child’s fifth birthday or the fifth anniversary of their placement for adoption.

If the child is disabled the parent is entitled to take the 18 weeks’ leave any time before the child’s 18th birthday.

To qualify for such leave the employees must have been with their employer for more than a year, be named on the child’s birth certificate or adoption certificate and expect to have parental responsibility.

The reforms were due to be implemented in March 2012, but the UK government used a 12-month grace period.

As the leave is unpaid take-up is expected to continue to be low.