The government has unveiled reforms to protect mums returning to work after maternity leave for a further six months. Learn more about what it means for you.
Mums will be protected from redundancy for six months after returning to work, the government has announced.
Women are currently safeguarded from losing their job while they are on maternity leave. The reforms mean the protection will be extended for another six months after returning to work.
So if a mum was to take her full entitlement to maternity leave, this could amount to 18 months of security from redundancy.
The reforms will also apply to those taking adoption or shared parental leave (SPL). They government says they aim to protect parents against discrimination, regardless of gender and circumstance.
Kelly Tolhurst, Business Minister says: ’There is no place for discrimination against new parents in the modern workplace. It is unacceptable that new parents continue to feel they are treated unfairly and the government is determined to put an end to this.
‘The reformswill better protect new parents, giving them the peace of mind to manage the return to work while also caring for a new child.’
Find out more about your rights at work when you are pregnant and during maternity leave here.
