Shared Parental Leave and Pay (Extension) 2017-19
10 December 2018
The text of this Private Member’s Bill has been published, which aims to provide shared parental leave and pay to the self-employed including freelance workers and workers in the GIG economy. The Bill also aims to extend the sharing of statutory maternity allowance to a mother’s self-employed partner.
The Shared Parental Leave and Pay (Extension) Bill 2017-19 was introduced by Tracy Brabin, MP for Batley and Spen who hailed this as being a bill that delivers ‘no additional cost to the taxpayer’.
The Bill received its first reading on 21 February 2018. The second reading debate of the was originally scheduled for 11 May 2018, but it is now expected to take place on Friday 25 January 2019.
If the Bill receives Royal Assent and becomes the ‘Shared Parental Leave and Pay (Extension) Act 2018’, the regulations will come into force within 12 months of this date.
Geographical extent - the Bill applies to England, Wales, and Scotland
Share Parental Leave was launched in 2015 and however parental take up is estimated to be a low 2%. The campaign 'Share the Joy' is part of the government’s aim to raise awareness of employment rights, in a drive to boost job satisfaction and productivity as part of the modern Industrial Strategy and Good Work plan.