by Paul Guess, CABA
Shared Parental Leave (SPL) was introduced in April 2015. When asked about it, the then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg explained, ‘more and more fathers want to play a hands-on role with their young children, but too many feel that they can’t.’ The SPL scheme was a way to give more ‘choice’ to families.
Let’s just take a moment to understand what SPL really is. Since April 2015, dads have had a legal right to ask their employers if they can have an extended period of leave from work. People …

With studies concluding almost as many women with children (74.1%) participated in the labour force as women without, in 2014, women who are juggling careers and motherhood benefit from flexibility at work the most.
Recent research from Catalyst shows Women account for 40% or more of the total labour force in several countries, making flexible working hours, extended maternal leave, breastfeeding rooms, free education and free healthcare just a few of the ways that some countries build the best working environments for mothers.
Instant Offices has looked countries with the most progressive approaches into …

It has been announced that mothers returning to work from maternity leave will be protected from redundancy for a minimum of six months. One in nine women stated that following their return to work after having a baby, they were either fired or made redundant. Or they were forced out voluntarily as a result of poor treatment.
This equates to some 54,000 women a year and will go above and beyond the current legal protection period of just two weeks. Charlie Rosier, mother and Co-Founder of creche integrated workspace Cuckooz Nest, …

Mothers on maternity leave don’t find it easy, with 47% finding themselves feeling lonely during this period, and a further 85% believing big businesses should help overcome the financial barrier of returning to work by helping with childcare costs. But for those lucky enough to secure affordable, flexible childcare, actually returning to work can bring a whole host of additional worries. According to a recent survey more than a third of women felt so unsupported and isolated on their return that they considered handing in their notice and the current …

So you’re going back to work. You’re sorted. Baby is sorted. Partner is sorted. What could possibly go wrong?
Despite being an organised person, there will be times when you feel that those balls will simply not stay up in the air no matter how much you juggle!
Exhaustion. Have you been up all night with a teething baby? Does your boss who has a 2pm deadline care? Probably not. Exhaustion can make clear thinking very difficult. If you are doing a job that involves working heavy machinery, this can actually be …

Last week we looked at Paternity Leave, and this week, with help from the folk at Instant Offices we take a closer look at what maternity leave looks like around the world… and it might not be quite how you think.
Which Countries have the most maternity leave?

COUNTRY
DAYS
WAGES PAID

 
PROVIDER
 

1.       SWEDEN
480
80%
SOCIAL INSURANCE

2.       CROATIA
365+
100%

HEALTH INSURANCE FUND
(until 6 months) – rest paid by State
 

3.       NORWAY
322-365
80-100%
SOCIAL INSURANCE

4.       UK
365

90%
 

Employer (92% refunded by public funds)
 

5.       SERBIA
365
100%
SOCIAL SECURITY

 Which are the Best Industries for Working Mothers?
As a mother, not only do you need time off, and generous pay, but …

Whether you’re an employee or am employer or self employed, maternity pay can seem like a headache. In fact, once you look into it it’s much less complex than you might think. Here are some tips on what you might be entitled to and how to make your maternity pay stretch too!
Here’s the best place to start: the Gov.uk site’s page on maternity. It links you to all sorts of calculators. There is statutory maternity pay, which is different to maternity allowance, and a calculator for statutory maternity leave too. …

A year on from the implementation of Shared Parental Leave, a new report highlights best practice in flexible working and family friendly working and shows how the most progressive organisations achieve the best results for both employee and employer. Workingmums.co.uk’s Best Practice Report 2016 underlines how good family friendly working is not just about having the right policies in place, but about creating the right culture.    The report, which is based on detailed case studies of the winners of the 2015 Workingmums.co.uk Top Employer Awards, identifies what makes a difference in family friendly working. …

 For many companies, dealing with maternity leave issues can be a challenge, and one which employers often do not pay enough attention to. Women make up nearly 50 per cent of the workforce and a high proportion of these women will become mothers during their employment. Jane Crosby, from law firm Hart Brown outlines what employers and expectant mothers should know, when it comes to maternity leave regulations.
Key legal rights
Health and safety requirements require all businesses to take steps to protect a pregnant woman from particular risks that could harm …

 
The birth of a child can be an exhilarating and life-changing experience. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the world through a brand new person’s eyes and watching your child learn and develop new skills. At the same time, however, a new baby creates all sorts of demands for juggling priorities, performing when you are deprived of sleep, and wanting to meet all your responsibilities as best you can.
 
For many women, rejoining the work force after maternity leave can be an overwhelming and emotional experience, particularly if the job …