Work and Families Act 2006
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision about statutory rights to leave and pay in connection with the birth or adoption of children; to amend section 80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996; to make provision about workers' entitlement to annual leave; to provide for the increase in the sums specified in section 186(1) and 227(1) of that Act; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2006 c. 18 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 21 June 2006 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Employment Rights Act 1996 |
| History of passage through Parliament | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Work and Families Act 2006[1] (c. 18) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to maternity pay, paternity pay and flexible working.
Background
The government stated the goal of the legislation was to "ensure every child gets the best start in life and to give parents more choice enabling them to balance their work and family responsibilities."[2]
Provisions
The act extends maternity leave and makes a proportion of paid maternity leave transferrable.[3] The act allows fathers to take three months' paid leave to care for their babies.[4]
The act extends the right to request flexible working to more groups with caring responsibilities.[3]
The act contains measures to help employers to manage Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay.[5]
The act increases the period of notice for return from maternity leave to two months.[5]
See also
References
- Julian Yew. "Work and Families Act 2006". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2006. Sweet & Maxwell. London. W Green. Edinburgh. 2006. Volume 1. Chapter 18. pp 18-1 to 18-32.
- Halsbury's Statutes
- ^ a b The citation of this act by this short title is authorised by section 20(1) of this act.
- ^ James, Grace (1 September 2006). "The Work and Families Act 2006: Legislation to Improve Choice and Flexibility?". Industrial Law Journal. 35 (3): 272–278. doi:10.1093/indlaw/dwl020. ISSN 1464-3669.
- ^ a b "Work and Families Bill". BBC News. 31 January 2006. Archived from the original on 11 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ "Analysis: Work and Families Bill - Fear that costs outweigh benefits". Children and Young People Now. 25 October 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ a b "WORK AND FAMILIES BILL – DETAILS". Local Government Chronicle. 19 October 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
External links
- The Work and Families Act 2006, as amended from the National Archives.
- The Work and Families Act 2006, as originally enacted from the National Archives.
- Explanatory notes to the Work and Families Act 2006.