Parental wellbeing | New act for neonatal care: what employers need to know

New parents will have a right to additional, dedicated time to spend with their baby while they’re receiving specialist medical care.

What’s happened?

Introduced as a Private Members Bill by Stuart C McDonald MP, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 will introduce two new statutory rights - neonatal care leave and neonatal care pay. The rights proposed by the Scottish National Party member for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, were afforded a boost last summer when the government decided to back it as opposed to pursing a broader legislative proposition of its own. It had been the government’s aim to include a similar proposal amongst several other family friendly measures in 2019 within the now defunct Employment Bill.

Speaking of the Act, Mr McDonald said, ‘No parent should have to choose between being with their premature or sick baby in neonatal care and having to return to work to earn a living; or enjoying the full benefits of parental leave and going back to work.’

How much are we talking?

1. Neonatal Care Leave

The right to neonatal care leave will be a ‘day one right’ – akin to maternity leave – and eligible employees will be entitled to up to 12 weeks off. To be taken in a continuous block of one or more weeks, eligible employees will be permitted to take neonatal care leave after any applicable period of maternity/paternity.