Dads still working whilst on paternity leave

Did you know that 25% of men in the UK continue to work while on paternity leave?

Recent research from the parental rights group Pregnant Then Screwed has found that employers are largely failing to provide adequate support to new fathers, with the majority of companies offering just two weeks of paternity leave. Women are usually offered up to 52 weeks maternity leave.

What’s more, a significant proportion of the 7,461 fathers who were surveyed were either unable to use up their allotted time (28%) or felt they could not take the leave at all because they couldn’t afford not to work (10%).

Many believe the solution lies in the government improving its offering to new dads. 

Proposed Neonatal care pay and leave

Last month, the proposed Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill underwent a second reading in parliament.

The bill suggests changing existing maternity, paternity and adoption leave by giving more paid time off to parents with newborn children who need to spend more than seven consecutive days in hospital during the first four weeks of their life.

If passed, the Bill will greatly benefit working mums and dads who understandably want to be with their child during this worrying time, but don’t want to use their annual leave or sick leave to do so.

We think this is a positive step that will add increased flexibility to existing parental leave laws and take the pressure off both employees and employers in difficult circumstances.  

TikTok boss says should not offer maternity pay

Last month, a senior TikTok boss reportedly told his London staff that he doesn’t think companies should offer paid maternity leave.

We don’t know whether Joshua Ma’s comment was made in passing, or whether he really believes that women shouldn’t need to take time off before and after the birth of a child. Either way, his outdated attitude may well put many women off from applying for a position at this global company – something that’s discussed by commentators in this article from HR Magazine.

(Thankfully, TikTok confirmed that it does, in fact, offer 30 weeks’ paid maternity leave for employees in the UK.)

Dress code policy

Traditionally, airlines have always set strict dress and grooming requirements for their staff. But in a bid to ‘champion individuality’, Virgin Atlantic has become the first UK airline to allow cabin crew to display their tattoos.

The move comes as more firms are focusing on striking the right balance between promoting inclusivity and ensuring their employees contribute positively to their company’s image.

Do you have a uniform policy within your business? If the answer is no, and this is something you would like to explore, contact Little Rock Employment Law on 01245 261883 today. We can discuss your options and help you develop clear guidelines that everyone will be happy with.

Should employers give UK women up to three days menstrual leave every month?

It’s an idea that’s being put into action in Spain. Recent reforms here will provide extra support for menstruating employees whilst also making it mandatory for schools to provide sanitary products; ensuring pads and tampons are free for women in marginalised circumstances; and remove VAT charges on menstrual products in supermarkets.

On the one hand, it’s a positive step towards recognising the impact that menstruation can have on female staff and allowing those affected to manage their time – and their health – more effectively and more productively. After all, recent statistics have shown that more than 70% of women have taken time off work due to their periods.

On the other, there is concern that women will not take up their employer’s offer of free leave, as they feel there is too much stigma surrounding the issue.

What do you think? Should we follow Spain’s lead, or is there a better way forward?

British Gas discriminated against an in-house solicitor

An in-house solicitor at British Gas has won a claim for sex discrimination after she was accused of ’losing her focus’ when returning from maternity leave, and subsequently was made redundant two years later.

The case found that the IP specialist – who re-entered the workplace in 2017 after having triplets – was wrongly scored as underperforming. The employee also said she felt under pressure from her managers to work on her non-working days.

The tribunal concluded that the women had been treated less favourably than a full-time employee, and it was unfair for British Gas to give her the performance rating that ultimately led to her dismissal.

Thousands of UK workers are set to take part in a four-day week trial

The experiment – which will last for 6 months – will see more than 70 companies pilot a scheme that provides employees with 100% of their pay for 80% of the hours they would usually work.

Academics managing the initiative in partnership with the think tank Autonomy are hopeful that adjusting working practices in this way will actually lead to higher productivity among staff.

What are your thoughts on a four-day week? Do you think condensing the same amount of work into less time will encourage your teams to work harder overall? And would this be a viable option for your business?