Rights of Working Parents
The rights of working parents just seem to continue increasing.
Although small and medium businesses in particular often find it difficult to handle the burden of these rights, the simple fact is that these rights lead to costs that must be taken into account along with all of the other running costs of the business.
Refusing rights (most commonly maternity rights), or attempting to avoid situations where employees might exercise those rights, will only lead to costly claims being made against you in the employment tribunal.
With current rights set to increase, it pays to keep on top of what UK law expects from you. The current rights of working parents include:
- Maternity leave and pay;
- Paternity leave and pay;
- Adoption leave and pay;
- Parental leave (unpaid);
- The right to apply for flexible working;
- The right to reasonable time off to care for dependants.