Maternity Leave
Women employees, who can satisfy the relevant qualifying conditions, enjoy the following rights:

• Paid time off to receive ante-natal care
• 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave and a further 26 weeks' additional leave
  
• Protection from dismissal by reasons of pregnancy or childbirth
• Protection from detriment by reasons of pregnancy, childbirth or maternity
• Statutory maternity pay
• Other Statutory and Contractual benefits
• Right to return to work

Parental Leave
Parents are now allowed to take time off work to look after a child where the child is born or adopted after 15 December 1994. This is unpaid leave. This right can be exercised by employees with one year’s continuous service who has, or expects to have, responsibility for a child. The period of parental leave is set at 13 weeks for each child. Parents of disabled children may take up to 18 weeks leave. This entitlement must be exercised before the child’s 5th birthday or in the case of adoption, within 5 years of placement (or the child's 18th birthday if that is sooner).

Paternity Leave
This is a new right which came into effect in April 2003. This entitles working fathers to take up to 2 weeks paid leave to care for a child or support the mother.