For clients with offices or employees in Jersey, it is important to be aware of the new parental rights for employees in Jersey. The changes are likely to come into force in June or July 2020 and include:
Ante natal appointments will be unlimited and paid for the expectant mother. Fathers/surrogates parents and partners and parents adopting will also be entitled to 10 hours of paid attendance.
Maternity and maternity support leave will be replaced with a new 52 week parental leave. All parents will be eligible to share the leave, with the first 6 weeks of leave being paid. The employee does not have to have worked for the employer for a certain period for the entitlement to take effect. The leave can be taken in up to three blocks over a two year period.
Provisions for breastfeeding or expressing will need to be made by employers including providing suitable facilitates.
A new health and safety provision introduced whereby should the pregnant or breastfeeding employee be unable to undertake their role in full, and there is no suitable alternative role for them to perform, they will be entitled to paid absence on health and safety grounds. This is contingent on a risk assessment being performed and the employee not unreasonably refusing a suitable alternative role.
Some details still need to be confirmed by the States of Jersey, however, we have begun looking at client handbooks for some of our Jersey clients to ensure the maternity and parental policies are up to date.
Further updates will be provided by the Focus team in future newsletters.