14 January 2026
Workers will be given day-one rights to parental leave in April, the government has confirmed
Ministers laid a statutory instrument in Parliament this week giving effect to the parental leave measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025. Currently, parental leave is subject to a 26-week qualifying period.
Shelley Sutton, chief people officer at Browne Jacobson, which introduced the policy for its employees 18 months ago, said the rights will ‘address a genuine gap in support for families.
‘These changes will require some commitment from employers to implement, to ensure policies and processes are clear and periods of leave are well planned. However, we believe the benefits far outweigh the initial costs and that statutory change will mean all businesses share the benefits we have seen of improved employee engagement and retention’.
