Guide
Family leave: employer checklist
Checklist for implementing day-one paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, and bereavement leave entitlements under ERA 2025. Covers policy updates, HR system configuration, payroll requirements, and manager training.
Update your policies and HR systems to allow paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, and bereavement leave from day one of employment. Train managers on handling requests and ensure payroll is set up correctly. These changes start on 6 April 2026.
- Remove 26-week service requirement for paternity leave
- Remove 1-year service requirement for unpaid parental leave
- Add statutory bereavement leave for all employees
- Include early pregnancy loss in bereavement policy
- Train managers on new day-one rights
- Update HR systems to process leave from day one
- Paternity pay is £194.32/week or 90% of earnings
- Parental leave is unpaid (18 weeks per child)
- 变现 Continue preparing for increased family leave entitlements effective April 2026"
Several family leave entitlements are day-one rights under the Employment Rights Act 2025. Employees are eligible from their first day of employment, with no minimum service requirement. This guide provides a compliance checklist for employers.
Ensure compliance: Your policies, HR systems, and manager training must reflect day-one eligibility for paternity leave, parental leave, and bereavement leave.
Day-one entitlements
- Paternity leave
- Day-one right (no service requirement)
- Unpaid parental leave
- Day-one right (no service requirement)
- Bereavement leave
- Statutory entitlement - day-one right
Employer compliance checklist
Policy updates
- Ensure there is no service requirement in your paternity leave policy
- Ensure there is no service requirement in your parental leave policy
- Create or update bereavement leave policy to include the statutory entitlement
- Include early pregnancy loss in bereavement leave policy
- Update employee handbook with current entitlements
HR systems
- Update HR system to process leave requests from day-one employees
- Configure paternity leave without service check
- Configure parental leave without service check
- Add bereavement leave as a leave type
Payroll
- Statutory Paternity Pay still requires LEL - configure accordingly
- Parental leave remains unpaid (unless you offer enhanced terms)
- Check statutory bereavement pay regulations when published
Training
- Brief managers on day-one eligibility
- Train HR on processing requests from new employees
- Ensure sensitive handling of bereavement requests
Practical considerations
Hiring impact
Because family leave is a day-one right:
- Candidates can request paternity leave from their first day
- New employees may immediately need parental leave
- You cannot refuse to hire someone because they might need family leave
Record keeping
- Track parental leave taken (18 weeks per child total, including with previous employers)
- Request evidence of parental leave taken with previous employers
- Maintain records for potential tribunal claims