Maternity, Paternity & Parental Leave

Working parents have a number of legal rights and these include: paid and unpaid maternity leave and paternity leave, the right to request to work flexible working hours, unpaid parental leave for parents of children under five (18 if your child is disabled) and unpaid time off to deal with unexpected problems with the care of dependants.

Maternity leave is given to pregnant women. Your rights as a pregnant woman include up to 52 weeks maternity leave, time off work for ante-natal care, the right to return to work after you have had the baby and in some cases the right to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP).

Working fathers are also entitled to one or two weeks’ paternity leave when they and their partner have a child.

Speak to our specialist employment team to find out more about Maternity, Paternity or Parental leave or contact us for more information.