10.In Chapter 5 of Fairness at Work, the Government set out proposals aimed at helping employees to combine work and family life satisfactorily by simplifying and extending existing maternity rights and introducing new rights to three months’ parental leave for men and women when they have a baby or adopt a child and to time off for urgent family reasons, in line with the provisions of the Parental Leave Directive. The Act implements these proposals by conferring basic rights to maternity and parental leave and to time off for dependants and giving the Secretary of State powers to make regulations on the details of maternity and parental leave. The regulations will be made following public consultation.
Summary and Background Family-related employment rights