Legislation
The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act
Date
Effective 24 July 2023
Summary
This Act provides employees with additional protection from redundancy during or after pregnancy or after periods of maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.
Employees on maternity leave, adoption leave, or shared parental leave already had the right to be offered a suitable alternative vacancy, if available, before being made redundant. They had priority over other redundant employees in relation to vacancies, running until the end of maternity leave or when the employee returns to work if this is earlier.
The new Act extends these existing redundancy protections to:
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pregnant employees when they tell their employer they are pregnant, until 18 months after the birth. The 18-month window ensures that a mother returning from a year of maternity leave can receive six months’ additional redundancy protection.
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those who have recently suffered a miscarriage (prior to notifying the employer of their pregnancy).
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and those who have recently returned from adoption leave or shared parental leave.
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