The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill and the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill

​What a week for parents of premature babies!

The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill and the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill have finally received Royal Assent, introducing new employment rights for families. As many people know, I am passionate about this topic, my youngest was born at 30 weeks taking everyone by surprise which has pretty much been the narrative for his whole life (now in his 20's and thriving), so I am thrilled to see these bills become law.

Under the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act, pregnant women and new parents will now benefit from extended redundancy protections. Previously, these protections were limited to maternity leave, adoption leave, or shared parental leave. This extension ensures that parents have job security not only during their leave but also upon their return to work.

Additionally, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act is a game-changer for parents whose newborns require neonatal care. This legislation allows them to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave, in addition to their other leave entitlements such as maternity and paternity leave. The length of leave and pay will be determined based on the duration of neonatal care, applicable if the baby receives continuous care for more than seven days before reaching 28 days old.

Furthermore, the Carers' Leave Act has also been granted Royal Assent, enabling working carers to take up to five days of unpaid carers leave annually.

It's important to note that the government will need to introduce secondary legislation to implement these entitlements, and the specific implementation date is yet to be announced.

As a mum who experienced the challenges of neonatal care first-hand, I believe these bills will make a significant difference in the lives of families across the country. When our son was born we lived at the hospital for most of his first three years, and it was an unbelievably tough time. By providing job security and paid leave during this critical time, we can better support parents, promote work-life balance, and contribute to a thriving economy.

A massive thank you from mums like me to all the advocates involved in bringing these bills to fruition! The next question, is how are you as a business going to make sure you live up to this?

#NeonatalCareBill #FamilyLeaveRights #JobSecurity

Here's my boy at four hours old... the start of a long road of surgeries and multidisciplinary support that we are forever thankful for.