Labour Research December 2006

Reviews

Maternity and parental rights: a guide to parents' legal rights at work

Camilla Palmer, Joanna Wade, Alexandra Heron and Katie Wood, Legal Action Group, paperback, 850 pages, £35.00

This book isn't called "the bible of working parents' rights" for nothing. It is produced by the Legal Action Group and is a comprehensive guide to the legal framework for parents' rights at work.

This third edition includes changes to maternity and adoption leave that will apply from April 2007. It explains the removal of the length of service qualifying condition for additional maternity leave; the need for employees intending to return to work before the end of additional maternity or adoption leave to now give eight weeks notice; and the introduction of "keeping in touch days".

It also covers employment discrimination law, rights and protection before birth, 'right to request' flexible working, rights of part-time workers, legal rights to all types of family leave and the effect of European law on working parents' rights in the UK.