Just two weeks since our last bulletin concerning the government announcement of an Employment Bill we bring news of not one, not two but three new employment laws that will give parents/carers protections. This family friendly legislation which has received Royal Assent includes the:
1. Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, which will allow eligible employed parents whose new-born baby is admitted to neonatal care to take up to 12 weeks’ paid leave, in addition to other leave entitlements such as maternity and paternity leave;
2. Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023, which will allow for the extension of existing redundancy protections while on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave to also cover pregnancy and a period of time after a new parent has returned to work; and
3. Carer’s Leave Act 2023, which will create a new statutory entitlement to one week of flexible unpaid leave per year for employees who are caring for a dependant with a long-term care need.
The government states that the secondary legislation regarding the implementation of (and the commencement date for) each Act will be laid down “in due course”.