Parental Rights

Employees who are parents have various statutory rights. This includes the right to Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave and Pay in certain circumstances. It may also include the right to request flexible working.

You are required to allow parents reasonable unpaid time off to deal with unexpected family emergencies.

It is unlawful to discipline or otherwise treat differently an employee who exercises their statutory rights and can amount to Unfair Dismissal or unlawful Discrimination (with potential for an unlimited award of damages) if you do so.

This area of law can be a minefield. Rees Page can health check your existing procedures to ensure that they are not leaving you vulnerable to a tribunal claim, or can write new procedures tailored to the requirements of your business if you do not already have these.

We can offer practical advice on any problem or query you have and if the worst happens and you receive a tribunal claim we can represent you.