If all this has come as news to you, then it would be worth your while taking advantage of PLASA’s new Human Resources Service. The advice you receive will clarify the current legislation so that you and your staff don’t end up in a dispute.
For instance, when the Parental Leave Regulations were updated in December 1999, the existing entitlements were revised. Parents became entitled to 13 weeks’ leave per child before the fifth birthday (subject to a four-week annual ceiling in blocks of one year), a ruling which also applies to adoptive parents or those of children with disabilities. Maternity Leave was extended from 14 to 18 weeks and all employees now have the right to take unpaid time off to deal with family emergencies.
The Human Resources Service can advise PLASA members on all the above - it will also highlight other issues such as the Data Protection Act of 1998, the Working Families Tax Credit and the New Stakeholder Pension schemes, all of which have placed additional burdens on employers.
Don’t get it wrong out of ignorance. If you need further advice, call PLASA now and we will help.
