* Acas guidance on shared parental leave

Susan Rafterysraftery@acas.org.uk

What is Shared Parental Leave?

• New statutory entitlement for employed parents• Created from untaken maternity leave and

pay/allowance if mother chooses to take less than her full entitlement

• Replaces additional paternity leave and pay• Up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay (per

couple)• Must be taken before child’s first birthday• Flexible – can be stopped and started again• Each employee needs to qualify in their own right• If both parents qualify can share the leave/pay• Parents can be at home together or stagger their leave

2 weeks’

paternity

3 weeks’ SPL3 weeks’

ShPP

26 weeks’ maternity

SPL & ShPP

begins

Mum maternity leave

Mum SPL & ShPP

Partner SPL & ShPP

SPLIT

SPLIT

Partner paternity leave

9 weeks’ SPL 9 weeks’ ShPP

6 weeks’ SPL1 week’s ShPP

SPLIT

Overview of SPL entitlements

Purpose of the Acas guidance

Guidance not Code of Practice

Encourages good practice for employees in notifying

Encourages good practice for employers in responding

The 4 key elements

Contents of the Acas guidance

• Introduction to SPL & ShPP

• Shared Parental Leave: Steps for an employee

• Shared Parental Leave: Steps for an employer

• Considerations during Shared Parental Leave

• Other key considerations

• Further advice and support

Step 1: Discuss intentions

• To let employees know about their options

• To find out about their intentions

• To determine entitlement• To keep dialogue open• But NOT to reach an

agreement….. yet

Step 2: Prepare and plan

Consider the impact on

• The employee• Their colleagues• The work• The business

Step 3: Discuss the notification

• To discuss the details• To consider all points of

view • To agree a pattern(s) of

leave• But bear in mind that

things may change

Step 4: Confirm decision

• Unconditionally accept a leave notification

• Confirm an agreed modification to a leave notification

• Refuse a notification (discontinuous leave only)

• What happens if you make no response to a leave notification?

Key issues from customers

• Qualifying for SPL

• Discontinuous requests

• Declaration notices

• Enhanced Shared Parental Leave and Pay schemes

Shared parental

leave

Flexible working

Maternity, paternity & adoption

rights

Acas training courses

Further support

in-company training

bespoke solutions

e-learning

mediationAcas websitewww.acas.org.uk/spl early

conciliation

Acas helpline0300 123 1100