Shared Parental Leave - the countdown begins

The Department of Business Innovation and Skills has developed an online calculator to help prospective parents calculate their eligibility and entitlement to leave such as maternity, paternity and shared parental leave (SPL). As SPL legislation/guidance can be complex, the calculator will offer a quick and easy way for both employees and employers to calculate entitlements under the new regime.

The intention of SPL is to allow parents to share a pot of leave, giving them freedom to decide how to care for their child during the early stages of their life. It has been estimated that 285,000 working couples are expected to be eligible for SPL each year.

Employees are obliged to give 8 weeks notice, together with a number of declarations regarding their eligibility, to their employer to state their intention to take leave.

Employers are advised to have policies and procedures in place to deal with requests for SPL. If you require any guidance on how to draft or implement such a policy, please contact a member of the team.