Shared parental leave changes are here, is your salon ready?

Salon owners are being reminded that from 5 April eligible expectant parents will be able to start sharing parental leave in their child’s first year.

These significant changes offer an alternative to traditional maternity leave, where employed mothers are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave and 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay. Mothers can now choose to end their maternity leave early and share leave time with their partner or the child’s father.

As long as both parents are eligible, leave can be taken in blocks separated by periods of work instead of taking it all in one go and both parents can be on leave at the same time.

NHBF President Paul Curry said:

“It’s important salon owners understand their responsibilities and know what needs to be done if staff are requesting shared parental leave.

“This change means mothers and fathers have more freedom to manage their childcare and work commitments in the first year. In the hair and beauty industry where over 90% of workers are female, sharing parental leave with fathers may make it easier for mothers to come back to work earlier. Stylists who are out of the salon for a long period can find it hard to re-build their columns, whereas fathers may be in a job where their absence has less direct impact on their earnings.”

There is a detailed list of eligibility criteria and rules surround this new legislation so we are encouraging members to look over the NHBF factsheet and get in touch with us for further advice.

Go online to http://members.nhf.info/advice-and-resources/fact-sheets.