Shared parental leave changes are here is your salon ready?

Salon owners are being reminded that as of 5 April, eligible expectant parents are able to start sharing parental leave in their child’s first year. These significant changes offer an alternative to traditional maternity leave, where employed mothers are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave and 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay. Mothers can now choose to end their maternity leave early and share leave time with their partner or the child’s father. As long as both parents are eligible, leave can be taken in blocks separated by periods of work instead of taking it all in one go. Both parents can be on leave at the same time. NHF president Paul Curry said: "It is important that salon owners understand their responsibilities and know what needs to be done if staff are requesting shared parental leave. "This change means mothers and fathers have more freedom to manage their childcare and work commitments in the first year. In the hair and beauty industry where over 90% of workers are female, sharing parental leave with fathers may make it easier for mothers to come back to work earlier. Stylists who are out of the salon for a long period can find it hard to re-build their columns, whereas their partner may be in a job where their absence has less direct impact on their earnings." The NHF has produced a fact sheet with details of eligibility criteria and rules surround this new legislation - visit their website for more information.