Working rights for Fathers you may not know about
Just as it is announced that new fathers in Ireland will be entitled to paternity leave for the first time from September, new research shows that around 130,000 fathers in the UK miss out on paternity leave each year due to self-employment or failing to meet eligibility criteria.When it comes to parental working rights there is generally more emphasis given to mums and their entitlements,
When it comes to parental working rights there is generally more emphasis given to mums and their entitlements, however, there is a range of entitlements for dads too!
The list below sets out fathers’ working entitlements:
Paternity Leave and Pay
New dads (who have worked for their employer for at least 26 weeks) are entitled to two weeks paternity leave, this is paid at the rate of £139.58 per week.
Unpaid time off to attend Antenatal Appointments
If you are expecting a little one you can take time off work to attend up to two antenatal appointments.
Shared Parental Leave
After the birth of a baby, mums and dads can share up to 50 weeks of leave between themselves. This is a new entitlement which was only introduced last year (April 2015), see our factsheet for more information on how it works.
Flexible working request
Employees (who have worked for their employer for a minimum of 26 weeks) can request a change in working hours from their employer, such as part-time hours, flexitime, home working or compressed hours. Your employer must legally consider the request and can only refuse on one of a number of statutory specified grounds.
Parental Leave
Not to be confused with Shared Parental Leave, all parents with children under 18 years old can avail of Parental Leave. Parental Leave is the right to take unpaid time off work to look after your child or to make arrangements for their welfare. It can help you spend more time with your child and strike a better balance between your work and family commitments. Each parent who qualifies for Parental Leave can take up to 18 weeks’ unpaid Parental Leave for each child, up to their 18th birthday.
Time off for dependants
If you are an employee, you have the right to take time off work to deal with emergencies involving a dependant. There is no set time period defined for time off for dependents, except that it should be ‘reasonable’. In most instances, one or two days should be enough time to deal with the emergency that has arisen. There is no limit on the number of times you can take time off for dependents provided it is being taken in order to deal with genuine emergencies.
Childcare Vouchers
Childcare Vouchers help parents save on their childcare bill. Dads can start making savings through the Childcare Voucher scheme as soon as their baby is born. Some parents use them to pay a deposit for a childcare place or for settling in days. Childcare Vouchers give savings of up to £77.76 each month in tax and National Insurance! This amount doubles when both parents use the scheme.
We can help!
For more information on any of the entitlements mentioned above, you can speak to our Family Benefits Advice Team who will be happy to answer any questions you might have! Call 028 9267 8200 today.
