This section of the Guide deals with family rights in the workplace. Many employers give their employees family rights under their contracts of employment (contractual rights) but the bulk of this section describes the rights given to employees by legislation and describes the law which affects women whose babies are due on or after 5 October 2008.
Initially, it was only mothers who had family rights, in the form of maternity leave (maternity leave) and maternity pay (statutory maternity pay ). More recently, family rights have been introduced that apply to fathers and same-sex partners as well as mothers. Both men and women, including adoptive parents, may be entitled to parental leave (parental leave). Further, employees who have or adopt a child may be entitled to paternity leave and pay (see (paternity leave and pay) or adoption leave and pay (adoption leave).
It can sometimes be difficult to combine work and family responsibilities and inn recognition of this, the law gives employees the right to ask their employer to change their hours or place of work in order to enable them to care for their children under the age of 6 (or 18 if disabled) and to care for certain adults (requests for flexible working).
All employees, not just parents, have the right not to be unreasonably refused unpaid time off work to deal with emergencies involving their dependants. Although the dependant may be a child, he or she could also be the employee's partner, elderly relative or even, in certain circumstances, neighbour. This section concludes with a summary of this right (time off for dependants).