As you will know, the Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014 took effect on 5 April 2015 and created an opportunity for parents to be more flexible with taking leave after the birth or adoption of a child. But, a year on, how many people have taken Shared Parental Leave (SPL)?
A survey of 1,000 parents and 200 businesses conducted by My Family Care has found that just 1% of men have taken SPL since it was introduced.
The survey found that a number of factors had influenced employees’ decision to take or not take SPL. In particular:
- 80% of employees surveyed said a decision to share leave would depend on finances and whether their employer paid more than they were obliged to under the SPL Regulations;
- Half of the men surveyed said that concerns over career progression had reduced the likelihood that they would take SPL;
- 55% of mothers questioned said they did not want to share their leave; and
- Only 40% of individuals felt that taking SPL was encouraged by their employer (despite almost half of businesses saying that they offered enhanced SPL pay in line with what they offered employees taking maternity leave).
Separate research carried out by the Trade Union Congress has found that as many as two in five new fathers are ineligible for SPL, as their partners are not in paid work or they fail to meet the qualifying conditions.
These concerns may well be addressed in the future as the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has said that they will evaluate the SPL Regulations by 2018.
Does your experience of SPL reflect the findings above? We would be interested to hear your experiences of SPL since the introduction of the Regulations.
For any further information on this or any other Employment matter, please contact Keith Land on 0191 226 4892 or keith.land@sintons.co.uk
