April 2009 maternity and paternity rights now delayed

New rules that extend statutory maternity pay, maternity allowance and statutory adoption pay from 39 weeks to a year and that give Additional Paternity Leave and Pay to fathers are unlikely to come into force in April 2009 as previously planned, according to HM Revenue &Customs (HMRC).

Additional Paternity Leave and Pay will give employed fathers an additional 26 paid weeks off work during their child's first year, provided that the child's mother has returned to work without using up her full entitlement to paid maternity leave.

HMRC says that the government is still aiming to introduce the changes by the end of the current parliamentary session, but the implementation date will not be April 2009. The delay, which is likely to be at least six months, is designed to give employers time and guidance to make their preparations.

A new date for implementation of the new rules has yet to be fixed. Read Legal Alert to keep up to date.

Operative date: Immediate

More information: Download the HMRC announcement from the HMRC website