Parent Initiatives and Returnships

There are 1.9m women who are economically inactive for caring reasons, the Government says. Many of these look for vacancies that make the most of their previous professional/managerial experience. Around three quarters of these women would like to return to work at some point; however significant barriers, both personal and structural, stand in their way. Let’s look at the rules and opportunities.

Employment rights for parents
There are a variety of leave options available to new parents and those with young children. That includes:
• Adoption leave and pay are available to both families and individuals that adopt a child.
• Maternity leave/pay and paid time off for antenatal appointments.
• Unpaid parental leave which may be taken at any time up to the child’s fifth birthday (or until five years after placement in the case of adoption). If you have a disabled child then the eligible period is longer, up to the child’s 18th birthday.

Flexible working
Parents of children under the age of six or disabled children under the age of 18 also have the right to ask their employer for flexible working arrangements. The request can cover hours of work, times of work and place of work and may include requests for different patterns of work, including:
• flexi-time
• home working
• term-time working
• shift working
• self-rostering
• annualised hours.
The request must be made in writing and the employer has a statutory duty to consider the request seriously and to refuse it only if there are clear business grounds for doing so. Search now for vacancies with inclusive and supportive employers.

Parent Initiatives and Returnships

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