Guide to managing shared parental leave

Introduction

Shared parental leave is a relatively new concept that provides eligible parents with greater flexibility in how they take time off work to care for their child. As a manager, it's important to understand your responsibilities in supporting employees who are taking shared parental leave, while ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and company policies.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for shared parental leave, employees must meet certain criteria, including:

• They must share the primary responsibility for caring for the child with their partner.
• They must have been employed for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the due date, or the date of adoption.
• Their partner must also meet certain employment and earnings criteria.

Entitlements

Eligible employees can take up to 50 weeks of shared parental leave and up to 37 weeks of statutory shared parental pay. The leave can be taken in blocks, with periods of work in between, and can be shared between partners in any way that suits them. Both parents can take leave at the same time, but not for the same period.

Communication

As a manager, it's important to maintain open communication with employees who are taking shared parental leave. This includes discussing their intentions regarding taking leave, and ensuring that they are aware of their entitlements and the process for requesting and taking leave. You should also consider how their absence will affect team dynamics and workload management, and plan accordingly.

Performance Management

Employees who take shared parental leave are protected against discrimination and unfair treatment, and have the right to return to the same or a similar role after their leave. As a manager, you should ensure that you are supportive of your employees taking leave, and that their performance is not negatively impacted by their absence.

Workload Management

It's important to manage the workload of your team during periods of shared parental leave to ensure that employees taking leave can return to a manageable workload. This may involve redistributing tasks, hiring temporary staff, or reorganizing team structures. Effective workload management will help to ensure that the employee's transition back to work is as smooth as possible.

Conclusion

By understanding your responsibilities as a manager and supporting employees who take shared parental leave, you can help to create a positive and inclusive workplace culture that values work-life balance and family-friendly policies.