Parental Leave: Manage It From Day One, Not When It Becomes a Problem

Parental leave should never be managed on memory, good intentions, or “we’ll work it out closer to the date.”

That is where businesses get into trouble.

The issue is usually not the employee taking parental leave. The issue is the business not managing the leave properly from day one.

No written request.
No confirmed dates.
No agreed contact points.
No return-to-work planning.

Then suddenly the employee wants to return, the business has moved on, someone else is in the role, and everyone is scrambling.

That is when the risk starts.

Start with the basics

Before the employee goes on leave, the business should have a clear written record of:

• the employee’s intended last working day;
• the expected start date of parental leave;
• the expected return-to-work date;
• what type of leave is being taken;
• how and when the business will keep in contact;
• who the employee should contact if their plans change.

Do not leave this to casual conversations in the workshop, office or lunchroom.

Keep in touch during the leave

The business should not ignore the employee for 12 months and then panic two weeks before they return.

Diarise regular contact points.

For example:

• one month after leave starts;
• three months before the expected return date;
• six weeks before the expected return date;
• two weeks before return.

These do not need to be formal or intrusive. They are simple business planning steps.

Be careful with replacement employees

If someone is hired to cover the role, make it clear whether the position is temporary or permanent.

If the replacement is covering parental leave, say that in writing.

Do not quietly treat the role as permanently filled and hope the original employee does not come back. That approach usually ends badly.

Plan the return early

Before the employee returns, confirm the return-to-work arrangements in writing.

This should include:

• return date;
• position;
• location;
• ordinary hours;
• reporting line;
• any agreed changes;
• whether a meeting will occur before return.

If the employee wants different hours or days, ask them to put that request in writing so it can be properly considered.

Do not use redundancy as a shortcut

If the role is genuinely no longer required, that is one thing.

But using redundancy because the business prefers the replacement employee, or because the returning employee’s availability is inconvenient, is high risk.

Redundancy should never be used as a quick way to avoid dealing with a parental leave return.

Keep a parental leave file

Every business should keep a simple parental leave file containing:

• the employee’s written parental leave request;
• the employer’s written approval;
• confirmed leave dates;
• return-to-work date;
• contact notes;
• flexible work requests;
• employer responses;
• return-to-work confirmation;
• any consultation records.

This does not need to be complicated.

It just needs to exist.

The key message

Parental leave problems usually begin months before the dispute.

They begin when nothing is written down.

A good paper trail protects the business, gives the employee clarity, and makes the return-to-work process far easier to manage.

Talk to your ER Team at the start, not the end. We can help get you in the right spot from day one, so the process is managed properly and the employee’s return does not become a last-minute problem.

Parental Leave Checklist 

Please also use this handy Parental Leave Checklist: Click here.