Updated guidance for pregnancy and maternity protections

Updated guidance has been issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to help employers. The guidance provides advice on what employers can do to prevent pregnancy and maternity discrimination at work.

The updates are due to the new flexible working laws that came into effect in April 2024, and they outline the changes that employers will have to make because of these laws.

These changes include:

• Extending protection from redundancy.
• In a redundancy situation, offering suitable alternative employment.
• Dealing with the new right to request flexible working from the first day of employment.
• Increasing the flexibility in how paternity leave is used.

Employers should ensure that they are up-to-date and compliant with the new laws, and the guidance can help with doing that.

To review the guidance in full, see: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/guidance/pregnancy-and-maternity-pregnancy