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MNHQ

Shared Parental Leave and Parental Leave – what do you think and know? Chance to win £100! NOW CLOSED

301 replies

AnnMumsnet · 04/04/2016 12:24

As part of the Mumsnet Family Friendly Programme we'd love to know what you think about these new employee benefits which have been introduced in the last few years.

You can read about them below - please share on this thread your experience of them and your thoughts on them. Have you taken them up? Do you think you would? Have you heard of Parental Leave? How do you think employers feel about them? Has your employer promoted them to you/ employees? Has your partners company promoted them?

All comments welcome!

Shared Parental Leave - this is for new parents and is designed to give greater flexibility around the first year with a new baby
Government info here
ACAS guide here

Parental Leave - this is unpaid leave for parents to take care of a child's welfare - employees are entitled to 18 weeks’ leave for each child and adopted child, up to their 18th birthday with their job protected
Government info here
ACAS guide here

Both are obviously subject to specific terms.

Add your view and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice.

Click here to learn more about companies who are working to make the UK a more family friendly place

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

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Shared Parental Leave and Parental Leave – what do you think and know? Chance to win £100! NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
Tkw2014 · 10/04/2016 21:45

I don't think shared parental leave would work for us, but I do think its great that everyone has options they can explore.

helly27 · 10/04/2016 21:54

Shared parental leave as then each family can pick what works for them as we are all different

Funkyferret · 10/04/2016 23:26

The offer should be there. Couples , however need to weigh it up in terms of the career path/employer attitude/practicalities of each parent. The days of little wife at home earning pin money are very over for many.

dadshere · 10/04/2016 23:50

Definitely! Parenting is dificult and both parents need to share the load. Dads are sometimes 'bullied' out of taking leave by a lads culture that often tries to emasculate or belittle them if they appear to be doing 'women's work'

akbn · 10/04/2016 23:55

I think measures like these are positive changes for a much more cohesive and equal society, though I think greater steps need to be taken in safeguarding jobs for those not on fixed term contracts i.e zero hours.

lollydollylove · 10/04/2016 23:59

I think it's a great idea and would take it up in the future, but I don't think a lot of employers are keen on the idea?

kamaxtra · 11/04/2016 09:41

I like both, and I think it's great to see fathers also get more time for their children. The responsibility (and joy) should be shared.

like7 · 11/04/2016 10:11

I had no idea that the unpaid parental leave up to 18 existed. I have 3 children, all with varying degrees of special needs (ASD), and I only work part time in a school so I can be there for as many of the meetings or appointments they have. DH also works part time and does casual work so we are flexible as possible. I don't get annual leave as such working in school so it limits how flexible I can be. I would love/have loved to have the opportunity to take the odd day or half day or even odd hour to attend meetings or the whole of meetings. MOst times people will work hard to accommodate our family work restrictions but sometimes it's just not possible. Many a timeweI rush in part way through something. This has certainly not been advertised at our work place. Sometimes people do have time off to care for their children - I feel it's a bit intrusive to ask if they're being paid or not. I will look further into this but would feel embarrassed to raise it, I think.

Soosieboo · 11/04/2016 13:47

I'm from the age where you finished work when you had a baby. No option to return!
I like the idea of shared leave but it's too long.
Not sure what to think about Parental leave. It's too open to abuse, needing time off - albeit unpaid - for every little niggle is a bit much for companies to bear. It could also create tension with other colleagues who have to cover the workload.

happysouls · 11/04/2016 14:22

I think its great that there is more flexibility on how to arrange your life around your child arriving. I think it needs to be now because people's lives are more complicated! Its not a traditional Dad goes out to work and Mum stays home with the kids world any more!

Want2bSupermum · 11/04/2016 14:51

Shared parental leave is a great idea in theory but in practice I see it only working when the parents have equal careers in terms of pay and flexibility (culture).

As to all these references to Nordic countries, DH is Danish and working here in the US. He is on a Danish contract. We just had our 3rd DC and he was 'allowed' to take a week off, carrying vacation over from the next fiscal period. I am furious about it. We are 3000 miles away from family and DH is also required to travel next week and the week after. I will be on my own with 3 kids. I pray I will be cleared to drive tomorrow. DH wasn't able to take the time off. He will be in Houston for the day.

Personally I think if you want parents to take leave you need to make it affordable for them to do so. I think the government should top up maternity pay to 100% of household pay post tax minus estimated childcare costs (what the government says it costs for childcare) while the parents are out. Only then will parents take the leave they want to take and not the leave they can afford.

Want2bSupermum · 11/04/2016 14:58

Oh and we run our own company in addition to being employees elsewhere. Our company policies is unlimited unpaid leave for any child related issues. Most of our employees are factory workers. I've had admin people cross train so they can step in and cover someone who is out at short notice. Normally the absence is covered by a worker wanting overtime (they get X1.5 pay for anything over 40 hours). I'm happy to take the hit of x0.5 pay. Far cheaper than having a revolving door of employees.

Emrob86 · 11/04/2016 15:41

I think it's about time that shared parental leave is possible! I think it will take a few more years before it's easy to make it happen with all employers though but I hope dads start using their share.

Anderson8 · 11/04/2016 15:55

I think it's a great idea, as the man is not always the main breadwinner

jandoc · 11/04/2016 16:38

i think it's fair as long as it's not abused by certain individuals

windowmouse · 11/04/2016 20:07

I work in HR and I can say that in my company...
Parental leave - nobody takes it because it is unpaid.
Shared parental leave - very few men take it, I think either because they think it will be frown upon or be bad for their career. Personally I would want maternity leave for me and not for my husband.

Maclairey · 11/04/2016 21:07

Its a great idea in theory. It wouldnt work for us though as DH earns nearly four times more than me.

Not sure that DH would want to do it anyway to be honest. Before we had our first child he would have jumped at the chance. Now we have two and its really hard work, he would not be so keen!!

KIRANKAUR1985 · 11/04/2016 21:24

Both really good schemes and gives you the reassurance about taking leave when you need to for your children, mine are both small and so really need time when they are ill, but I can imagine needing more as they get older.

Finding a balance as a working parent is so hard so being able to have some leave with them when you need it is great, I feel so guilty when I need time off then think I care too much about work! It's so hard.

Wendywhyte · 11/04/2016 22:11

I wonder how businesses can support this kind of nannying.

jellybeans · 12/04/2016 00:39

It is good the offer is there but I don't think it should be foisted on all families. Dh works shifts and away and pt is not an option. I was happy as a sahm for many years with Dh very involved when at home. Like it or not many women will want the maternity leaves for themselves and not to give it away unless it suits them and their family.

Want2bSupermum · 12/04/2016 03:08

I think it's important to have the option of unpaid leave because when your kids are sick you need to take that time off. DS has been diagnosed with autism and the medical care is extensive with me taking him to specialists at least once a month.

Ironically I'm in the US and my employer treats DS medical issue as me having a disability. As far as I am aware they are not required to make this sort of allowance but do so because they wish to retain people such as myself.

The big issue is that in the UK the cost of hiring an employee is very high. Here in the US the cost is minimal in comparison, in part because government policy has set a goal of full employment.

angiehoggett · 12/04/2016 07:26

I think it's a good idea not that I've had the use of it!

planepointer · 12/04/2016 08:32

There may be practical issues in general or for individual families, but in principle it is a great thing and it's amazing it hasn't been the law for longer.

Mozarmstrong · 12/04/2016 11:45

Really sitting on the fence here. If your employer agrees then ok but please do not expect all employers to be able to uphold this leave. That's all I can say .

beckyinman · 12/04/2016 12:36

I think the extended period of paternity leave is a great thing - during those first few weeks when you need all the help you can get.

I'm not sure about shared leave. I don't think it would work in my scenario, but having more options can only be a good thing