Employers' responses to survey taken December 2014 – January 2015

Shared parental leave will be a new right available to parents of babies who are expected to be born (or placed for adoption) from 5 April 2015 onwards. The first parents to be affected by the proposed regime will undoubtedly be considering their plans for when the baby is born, so employers will also be considering how they will deal with the new parental leave scheme, particularly in relation to pay. In light of forthcoming changes, we asked for your views on how you have prepared for the changes so far. These findings were collected during December 2014 and January 2015. 80 organisations responded to our December survey. Here is what we found out:

Preparing for the changes

  • Most respondents (92%) have started preparing for the new regime – this compares to just under half in August last year
  • Half intend to actively communicate the new rights to staff - around the same as in August last year

Enhanced maternity pay

  • 76% of respondents already offer enhanced maternity pay: 9% of those are undecided whether to continue to do so after 5 April 2015 but none have so far decided to discontinue enhanced maternity pay
  • Of those already offering enhanced maternity pay:
    • Most (83%) do not currently offer return to work bonuses
    • Two thirds offer enhanced pay lasting more than 15 weeks

Shared parental pay

  • Of those who currently offer enhanced maternity pay:
    • 35% have decided to offer enhanced shared parental pay
    • 28% have decided not to offer enhanced shared parental pay
    • 37% are undecided
  • Of those 35% that have decided to offer enhanced shared parental pay, most (75%) intend to offer it at the same level as their enhanced maternity pay
  • Of those organisations who do not currently offer enhanced maternity pay (24% of the total) - only 16% of them (three organisations) have decided to change their policy and offer enhanced maternity pay and enhanced shared parental pay after 5 April 2015

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