UK People Reward and Mobility Hub
The latest updates in employment, benefits, pensions and immigration
A study conducted by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that only 4 UK government departments display their parental leave and pay policies on their external websites. This is despite the fact that the government has launched a new "Share the joy" campaign, intended to encourage more parents to utilise shared parental leave, and is spending £1.5 million to increase awareness.
One of the biggest barriers to gender equality and pay parity is a continuing resistance by employers to embrace agile working. A recent joint study from flexible working specialists, Timewise, and Deloitte set out a five step plan to help employers establish and implement new working cultures with the aim of improving pay parity between men and women.
We blogged in June last year about the employment tribunal claim of Ali -v- Capita Customer Management Ltd where Mr Ali was successful in his claim for direct sex discrimination. Female employees at Capita were entitled to 14 weeks’ full pay on maternity leave whereas fathers were only entitled to two weeks’ full pay on paternity and shared parental leave. Mr Ali's wife was advised to return to work early from maternity leave after being diagnosed with post natal depression. Mr Ali asked Capita whether he could take leave instead and was told he could take shared parental leave on statutory pay. The Tribunal found that this was direct sex discrimination.
The Women and Equalities Committee has published a report highlighting what it sees as the difficulties that fathers face in balancing their careers with childcare responsibilities. The report makes a series of proposals which aim to put men and women on a more equal footing when it comes to maternity and paternity leave. The most headline grabbing recommendation is that fathers should receive one month's leave at 90% of their salary (capped for higher earners) when their wife or partner has a baby and a further two months of paternity leave at £141 a week, without any loss of rights for the mother.
2018 is a momentous year, in that it marks 100 years since British women were given the right to vote. […]
On 13 October 2017, the government published the Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill. This will offer two weeks' paid leave to any employed parent who loses a child under the age of 18.
In Ali v. Capita Customer Management Ltd, the employment tribunal upheld a father’s claim of sex discrimination on the basis […]
Family members of EU nationals can join them in another member state if the EU national is exercising treaty rights. […]
In this issue we look at a recent Court of Appeal decision focusing on sexual orientation protection following a refusal […]
In our article published yesterday in HR-Inform we consider whether a change in maternity law is needed to help mothers […]
We are, of course, coming increasingly close to 23 June – the date of the referendum on the UK’s continued […]
