The University has launched a new Family Leave policy which introduces enhanced provisions to better support our employees with, or about to have, parental responsibilities.
The policy brings together several different types of family leave including maternity, adoption, paternity, shared parental leave, and unpaid parental leave.
A new, dedicated Family Life SharePoint site provides a central resource for accessing information and guidance on the new Family Leave policy, as well as several other family-related policies.
What are the enhanced provisions?
- Reduced qualifying period from 52 weeks to 26 weeks to receive Contractual Maternity or Contractual Adoption Pay.
- Reduced required return to work period from 52 weeks to 26 weeks to retain Contractual Maternity or Contractual Adoption Pay and retained existing provisions to protect those whose fixed term contracts end during their return to work.
- Enhanced Shared Parental Pay, which will now mirror our Contractual Maternity and Contractual Adoption Pay provisions, giving much greater flexibility for parents.
- Increased access to antenatal and adoption appointments so both parents can now take reasonable paid time off to attend appointments.
- Paternity leave can now be taken in two separate blocks of one week each, or as two consecutive weeks as at present. Paternity leave can also now be taken at any time in the 52 weeks after birth or adoption.
About the new Family Life SharePoint site
This user-friendly platform is designed to provide you with easy access to everything you need to know about our new policy. It includes a range of practical guidance and advice, including a Family Leave Planner to help you consider all the family leave options available to you.
The site also hosts the University’s other existing family-related policies, including Extended Carers’ Leave, Compassionate and Domestic Leave so that all policies related to family life events are brought together.
Do I need to do anything?
We encourage all employees and line managers to visit and explore the new SharePoint site, whether to understand the options that may be available to them personally, or to learn and understand the entitlements of those they may work with or support.
If you’re a line manager, you will need to familiarise yourself with the new policy to manage your direct reports appropriately. You will have recently received a Line Manager Briefing containing more detailed guidance.
The enhanced maternity, adoption and shared parental leave provisions in the new Family Leave policy apply to those with due dates or adoption placement dates on or after 1 September 2024. The existing policies continue to apply for those with due dates or adoption placement dates up to and including 31 August 2024. We have contacted those about to take family leave who would now fall under the new policy to help them understand the changes.
Should you have any questions, please contact AskHR.