New UCL Parental Leave Policy: staff can now benefit from shared parental leave

In line with recent legislation, the Human Resources Policy Committee (HRPC) has ratified a new

ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/parental-leave.php">Parental Leave Policy. This incorporates UCL policy on maternity, adoption, paternity, additional paternity, ordinary parental and fertility leave in one document and includes new policy and procedures on how staff can benefit from shared parental leave, available for parents who are due to have a baby or adopt a child on or after 5 April 2015.

Additional parental leave will cease to be available for parents of babies or children matched/placed for adoption after 4 April 2015.

HRPC has agreed to enhance shared parental pay, in line with occupational maternity and adoption pay and make this an entitlement from your first day of service. Qualifying service for entitlement to statutory payments is in line with statutory maternity and adoption pay regulations.

Following a minimum two weeks compulsory maternity or adoption leave immediately after the birth or adoption, a mother or primary adopter can choose to bring their maternity or adoption leave to an end and share any remaining entitlement with their partner. This means that parents can take time off together to care for their family and also take separate blocks of leave to share responsibility for child care between them. This should help staff to balance important family commitments with busy work lives and promote gender equality at UCL.

To access shared parental leave and pay (as either the mother/primary adopter or partner) you will need to give three statutory notices with at least eight weeks' notice before you intend to commence your first period of shared parental leave. The forms to give these statutory notices are available on the HR website. There are also new forms here for staff accessing maternity/adoption, paternity additional paternity and ordinary parental leave.

Staff will still be entitled to paternity/partner's leave, but should take this before entering a period of share parental leave.

To supplement the new policy we have produced a list of frequently asked questions to help you understand how it works. In addition, we are finalising a new 'shared parental leave calculator' to help people understand their entitlement and how it will impact on gross pay. The Human Resources Division is also running a series of workshops for managers so they can understand how the new rules will work in practice. You can book a place on one of these workshops using this portal: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/events/shpl-workshops.php.

For further information and to process any requests please contact your HR ECA Supervisor.

Nigel Waugh, Director of Human Resources