Government backs Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill

Government backs Redundancy Bill

The Government has confirmed it is backing the Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill.  This is a Private Members’ Bill, but with Government support it is likely it will be passed by Parliament and become law. 

Extended redundancy protection 

Currently women on maternity leave and parents on adoption and shared parental leave have additional protection against being made redundant. Before being made redundant, they have the right to be offered any suitable available vacancy with their employer or an associated employer. 

The Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill will give the Secretary of State the power to extend this redundancy protection to pregnant women and to new parents for a period after they return from maternity, adoption and shared parental leave. The Government has indicated that employees will be protected for six months following their return. As a result, women will be protected throughout their pregnancy and maternity leave and until six months after their return to work. Parents taking adoption or shared parental leave will be protected while on leave and until  six months after their return.

Although the Bill is progressing through Parliament, it is not clear when the new rights will be in force. 

In July this year, the Government also announced that it was backing Private Members’ Bills which will see the introduction of neonatal care leave and changes to the laws on tips, gratuities and service charges. The Government has also confirmed that it is backing a Private Members' Bill which will introduce the right to carer's leave.