Family Friendly - HR Inner Circle

August 5, 2026

A £1.4 million reminder that your family friendly policy is only as good as the culture underpinning it

Most large employers are keen to promote their family friendly credentials. Enhanced parental leave, flexible working, wellbeing initiatives and glossy recruitment hooks all help attract talent. But a recent £1.45

Family Friendly

May 27, 2026

Fostering and family-friendly rights: An employment law blind spot

We have just come to the end of the annual Foster Care Fortnight in the UK (12th-25th May), the Fostering Network’s annual campaign to show how foster care transforms lives. Foster

Discrimination

Family Friendly

November 26, 2025

“Boss, I’m Pregnant”: 5 things employers need to know when dealing with pregnant employees

When an employee informs their employer that they are pregnant, there is an immediate shift in the employment relationship. The employee, from this point onwards, has a special status. Employers

Wellbeing

Family Friendly

October 15, 2025

‘Together, we care’ – Reflections on Baby Loss Awareness Week 2025

This last week (9th-15th October) marked Baby Loss Awareness Week in the UK. The theme for this year was 'Together, we care' with a focus on finding time to care for

Family Friendly

July 2, 2025

Bereaved Parents Day: legal rights and HR’s role in compassionate support

Today (3rd July) marks National Bereaved Parents Day, a day to raise awareness for all parents who have lost a child of any age, and in any circumstance. Child loss

Family Friendly

June 5, 2025

Breastfeeding at Work: lessons from the Gibbins harassment case

When employees return to work after maternity leave, many will still be breastfeeding. Employers have a legal and moral duty to ensure the working environment supports this. A failure to

Family Friendly

May 7, 2025

Bonuses and maternity leave: What are the rules?

When an employee is on maternity leave, their contract of employment continues and they remain entitled to most of their usual benefits. The exception is anything classed as “wages or

Family Friendly

January 15, 2025

‘All employees are equal, but some are more equal than others’

An explanation of the special rules which apply to redundancy during or after pregnancy or family leave. Redundancy situations can arise in almost any workplace, large or small. If a business

Family Friendly

Absence

December 16, 2024

New Family Leave and SSP Rates

The government has announced the new rates for family leave pay and statutory sick pay which will apply from 6th April 2025. The statutory rates of pay applicable to the various

Family Friendly

June 6, 2024

Top Tips for Managing a Return from Maternity Leave

Time goes quickly in the workplace. Before you know it, the employee you wished well as she headed off on maternity leave will be due to return to work. It

Family Friendly

April 25, 2024

Flexible Working Regulations

As of 6 April 2024 all employees, regardless of their length of service, have the right to request flexible working. The Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which were published last