The Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and the Statutory Paternity Pay (Amendment) Regulations 2024 are due to be in force on 8 March 2024.
Despite the March enforcement date, the changes will practically apply to babies expected to be born, placed for adoption, or entering Great Britain for adoption on or after April 6, 2024.
The key changes include giving employed fathers and partners the option to take up to two weeks of paid leave in two separate one-week blocks, as well as the flexibility to take paid leave at any point during the first 52 weeks after the birth or adoption, rather than solely within the initial 56 days (eight weeks).
Additionally, in the case of births, the notice period to indicate the intention to take leave will be reduced to 28 days before the planned leave dates. In the case of adoption, the 7-day notice period will remain the same.
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
We continue to monitor developments in employment law and will continue to update our website and social media platforms as we see developments. We will also be discussing these changes in our upcoming Virtual Employment Law Seminar. You can register for this free event here, and we aim to cover all the developments expected for 2024 and beyond.