Those of us who employ staff, domestic or household, have just become used to the concept of parental leave, when either parent may take leave, and the potential consequences for employers, when … grandparents enter the equation.
In an announcement by the Chancellor George Osborne at the Conservative Party conference, new parents will be given the option of sharing their leave entitlement with the new-born child’s grandparents during its first year.
The condition is that the grandparent must be working to be eligible for the scheme.
In addition to being able to share the leave, eligible grandparents will be able to share in the 37 weeks of parental leave pay. At present this is £139.58 per week; alternatively they will receive 90% of their average weekly earnings, whichever is the lower. Grandparents who participate in the scheme must be allowed to return to work at the end of the period.
The intention is to implement this change by 2018.