The Work Couch: Reforms to employment rights for parents and carers: Where are we now?

Published on 07 September 2023

Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.

Since the pandemic prompted a major shift in how we work, there have been growing calls to boost the support for employees who are balancing work with their caring commitments. So what reforms might we see in the near future?

Ellie Gelder is joined by Joanna Holford, senior associate at RPC, to discuss potential changes to the law around time off and other important protections for parents, surrogates and carers. Jo explains what's in the pipeline for:

  • statutory paternity leave;
  • statutory shared parental leave;
  • time off and pay for surrogates and employees expecting babies born via a surrogate;
  • redundancy protection for pregnant employees and those returning from maternity leave;
  • neonatal leave and pay; and
  • carers' leave.

Jo also highlights how these proposals could bring benefits to employers, as well as employees.

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All information is correct at the time of recording.  

The Work Couch is not a substitute for legal advice.

Click here for the full transcript File type: PDF Size: 312 KB

Related articles

  1. Government consultation "Good Work Plan: Proposals to support families" (June 2019)
  2. Joint report by the Centre for Progressive Policy, Pregnant Then Screwed and Women in Data "Leave in the Lurch: Paternity Leave, Gender Equality and the UK Economy" (June 2023)
  3. Guardian newspaper article "Measly paternity rights mean nearly a third of UK fathers take no leave" (June 2023)
  4. CIPD research on paternity leave and pay (August 2022)
  5. Government response to Good Work Plan proposals to support families consultation (June 2023)
  6. Government's shared parental leave and pay online eligibility tool
  7. Joint report by the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission "Building families through surrogacy: a new law" (March 2023)
  8. Research by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills and the Equality and Human Rights Commission "Pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination and disadvantage: Experiences of mothers" (March 2016)
  9. Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023

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