When parents are on neonatal care leave, managers should make sure they:
- keep in touch
- keep information shared confidential
- provide support during neonatal care leave
Any parent with the legal status of employee might be entitled to neonatal care leave.
Someone is not likely to be an employee if they're:
- an agency worker
- a casual worker
- on a zero-hours contract
People with the legal status of worker are not eligible to take statutory neonatal care leave. They can still stop working to care for their child.
Workers should still talk to their employer during any time off. This could include what to share with people they work with.
Requesting leave
Employers should make clear what the process for requesting neonatal leave is.
Find out more about telling an employer
Keeping in touch
When an employee is caring for a sick child, keeping in touch with their employer might not be the main priority.
With permission from the parent, employers may find talking to a close friend or family member easier. The employer should organise to talk to their employee directly when it is appropriate.
Employers might find it helpful to share links with an employee to support their mental health.
For example:
- your organisation's employee assistance programme (EAP), if there's one available
- Bliss for support and information for parents with a baby in neonatal care
- Mind for mental health information and support
Find out about supporting mental health at work
Confidentiality
Employers must keep information shared about a baby needing neonatal care confidential. They should only tell others if the parent makes it clear they can share with other employees, clients or customers.
In some situations, an employee might want their employer to tell other people they work with. This might help others respond sensitively to the situation. Employers must agree with the parent when it's appropriate to share the information.
This conversation will probably not take place immediately. But employers should find an appropriate time to talk about this.
The first 7 days
For the first 7 days of neonatal care, a parent isn't entitled to neonatal leave. Employers should be flexible and understanding during this time.
Employers could allow paid time off as special leave. Alternatively, a parent might ask to take the time off unpaid.
If parents are not eligible for neonatal care leave
Some parents might not be eligible for neonatal care leave. For example, if a baby needs neonatal care for less than 7 consecutive days.
Employees might instead ask for unpaid time off work to care for this child. This is called ordinary parental leave.
Employers should be flexible and caring towards any parent who has a young child needing hospital care.
Find out more about ordinary parental leave
If the baby dies after being in neonatal care
If an employee's child dies, they might still be eligible to take neonatal care leave.
They would be eligible if:
- their child was in neonatal care for 7 consecutive days or more
- they provided notice for neonatal care leave
The neonatal care leave can start the day after the child dies. If other leave has already been booked, for example maternity, adoption or paternity leave, that must be taken first.
This will be in addition to parental bereavement leave.
Help and support
If employees need support at work, it can help to:
- talk to their manager to see what support or adjustments might be possible
- use their organisation's employee assistance programme (EAP), if there's one available
Employees can also get help and support from the following organisations:
- Bliss for support and information for parents with a baby in neonatal care, including information on bereavement support
- Child Bereavement UK if their child or baby dies
- Cruse Bereavement Support for advice on coping with a death
- Hospice UK for help talking about dying, death and bereavement
- Mind for mental health information and support
- Sands for support following the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth
- Sue Ryder for advice on coping with a death
Find out more about if an employee's child dies
If an employee has a disrupted adoption
If an employee has a disrupted adoption, they might still be eligible to take neonatal care leave.
They would be eligible if:
- their child was in neonatal care for 7 consecutive days or more
- notice for neonatal care leave was provided
If an employee's application for a parental order fails
If an employee's application for a parental order fails, they might still be eligible to take neonatal care leave.
They would be eligible if:
- their child was in neonatal care for 7 days or more
- notice for neonatal care leave was provided
Contact the Acas helpline
If you have questions about neonatal care leave, contact the Acas helpline.