New Mothers and Fathers
Women who are expecting a baby have a legal right to time off work for antenatal care. They are also entitled to at least 26 weeks maternity leave. These rights apply to full-time and part-time workers and it makes no difference how long the woman has worked for her employer. It is , however, important to follow the correct procedures and to give the employer enough notice about taking maternity leave. Some women may also be entitled to maternity pay but this depends on how long they have been working for their employer.
Fathers who have worked for their employer for at least 26 weeks are entitled to paternity leave, which provides up to two weeks time off from work, with pay, when the child is born. It is important to tell your employer well in advance.
You can get advice and more information on maternity and paternity matters from the personnel officer at work, your trade union representative, your local Citizens Advice Bureau, the Citizens Advice Bureau website www.adviceguid.org.uk or the government website www.direct.gov.uk
Childcare
It is government policy to help people with childcare responsibilities to take up work. Some employers can help with this. The ChildCareLink website www.childcarelink.gov.uk gives information about different types of childcare and registered childminders in your area, or telephone 0800 96 02 96.
Hours and time for children at work
In the UK there are strict laws to protect children from exploitation and to make sure that work does not get in the way of their education. The earliest legal age for children to do paid work is set at 14. There are a few exceptions that allow children under the age of 14 to work legally and theses include specific work in performing, modeling, sport and agriculture. In order to do any of this work, it is necessary to get a licence from the local authority.
By law, children aged 14 to 16 can do light work. There are particular jobs they are not allowed to do and these include delivering milk, selling alcohol, cigarettes or medicines, working in a kitchen or a chip shop, working with dangerous machinery or doing any other kind of work that might cause them any kind of injury. Children who work have to get an employment card from their local authority and a medical certificate of fitness to work.
The law sets out clear limits for the working hours and times for 14 - 16 year old children. Every child must have at least two consecutive weeks a year during the school holidays when they do not work. They cannot work:
- For more than 4 hours without a one-hour rest break
- For more than 2 hours on any school day or Sunday
- Before 7.a.m. or after 7.p.m.
- For more than one hour before school starts
- For more than 12 hours in any school week
15 and 16 year olds can work slightly more hours than 14-year olds on a weekday when they are not at school, on Saturdays and in school holidays. The local authority has a duty to check that the law is obeyed. If it believes that a young person is working illegally, it can order that the young person is no longer employed. You can find more information on the TUC website, www.worksmart.org.uk
Check that you understand:
- Maternity and Paternity Rights
- Entitlement to maternity leave and pay for both part time and full-time workers
- Paternity leave entitlement
- The importance of following the right procedures and providing sufficient notice
- Children at Work
- Minimum age for starting work
- Jobs 14 to 16-year-olds are not allowed to do
- The maximum hours allowed
- Requirements-medical certificate and employment card
- The local authority's responsibility for protecting children