There are many things to consider when you have a pregnant employee including their working conditions, the leave and pay to which they are entitled and their return to work after the baby is born. In addition, if you have an employee whose partner is expecting a baby then you must consider factors such as paternity leave, shared parental leave, and the pay to which they are entitled during any period of absence from work.

You may have an employee who is considering adoption or surrogacy, in which case you must comply with your statutory and/or contractual obligations in respect of their associated rights.

Employers also have obligations in relation to employees who need to take time off to care for dependants.

There is an expectation upon employers to keep in reasonable contact with employees who are absent on a long-term basis, and employers must give thought to KIT days and consultation obligations.

It is essential that employers have comprehensive and up to date policies and procedures in place to ensure that managers can effectively deal with issues associated with staff that have, or are expecting, families, and support them through this process. Failure to stay on the right side of the law could expose an employer to a plethora of employment tribunal claims including claims for discrimination, constructive dismissal or unfair dismissal.

The Lamb Brooks Employment Department is always kept fully up to date with the regular changes that are made to family friendly rights and can advise you on all areas. If these issues have affected your business, or if you are concerned that you policies may not be up to scratch, then call our Employment Team today for guidance.