Contractual maternity, adoption or parental pay
[ch 7: page 72]The employment contract may contain more generous terms for payment of contractual maternity, paternity, adoption or parental pay, and in relation to leave periods and other conditions, which can be collectively negotiated by unions.
This may also involve negotiating paid parental leave periods. Working parents who are employees are currently entitled to unpaid parental leave, after one year of service. The minimum statutory entitlement is up to four weeks for each child, for up to four weeks per year, capped at 18 weeks, to be used within the first five years of the child’s life. The leave can be taken up to the child’s 18th birthday for children adopted at a later age (or up to the fifth anniversary of adoption, whichever is sooner) and in relation to a child qualifying for disability living allowance.
State Benefits and Tax Credits is the Labour Research Department’s annual trade union guide to in-work entitlements. As well as entitlements for those on a low income, the booklet covers benefits and tax credits for parents and children, help for those sick or injured at work, the basic state pension and pension credits, help with housing costs and help for someone whose husband, wife or civil partner dies. www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=BK&iss=1712.