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01798 890 021Neonatal Care Leave gives parents the ability to take time off work when their baby is in neonatal care. Before the changes, many parents had no specific entitlement and had to rely on a combination of annual leave, sick leave, unpaid leave or other types of leave. Now, thanks to this introduction, parents are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave, as a day one right, giving them a much-needed chance to be there for their baby.
This applies to parents of babies who spend at least seven consecutive days in neonatal care within 28 days from their birth. Statutory Neonatal Care Leave (SNCL) will be a day one right for employees, so regardless of their length of service, employees will be able to take this leave.
Not only can parents now take time off, but eligible parents also have the option of getting Neonatal Care Pay during that time. Much like Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), this pay is calculated at the same rate. To qualify for statutory pay during this leave, employees must have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks.
The first step is to make sure your HR policies are up to date. If you don’t already have a Neonatal Care Leave Policy, it’s time to create one. You’ll need to outline things like:
Metro HR can help with policy creation, so get in touch at [email protected]
You don’t want your employees to be scrambling to figure out whether they are entitled to the leave when they are in a stressful situation, so clear communication is key. Send out a company-wide email or add information to your employee portal to make sure everyone knows about the new entitlement. It’s also a good idea to create a forum for employees to ask any questions they might have.
Line managers are often the first point of contact for employees seeking leave, so it’s important that they understand the new policy. A well-trained manager can make a huge difference in making employees feel supported and understood during what can be a really distressing time.
Let’s not forget the human side of things. Employees taking neonatal care leave are likely going through one of the toughest periods of their lives. A bit of empathy can go a long way in making them feel valued and supported.
Finally, make sure your payroll and HR systems are updated to reflect the new entitlement. This includes making sure employees are paid the correct amount of neonatal care pay and that the leave is accurately recorded.
Reach out to us at [email protected] to chat to a member of the team, or click below to book in a for a free consultation call.
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