Staying in contact with employees on parental leave
When employees are on parental leave, staying in contact with them is important for a couple of reasons, including:
- To ensure that employees remain to feel attached to the workplace and are kept “in the loop” and involved with developments in the workplace; and
- Section 38A of theIndustrial Relations Act 1999 (PDF, 2.09MB) requires that employers advise employees on parental leave about significant changes in the workplace.
Employee attachment
Employees on parental leave need this time to get adjusted to the responsibilities parenthood adds to their lives. For women who have given birth it is also an important time to physically recover and establish any breastfeeding routines. Initially employees probably just want to focus on the new family member, but in time they might want to regain involvement in other parts of their lives, such as work.
Going back to work can be daunting after having been away for a while and having been out of touch with colleagues and relevant developments in the workplace. Keeping employees on leave informed about important developments in the workplace, particularly those that would have affected their work, is important for employees’ attachment to the workplace. Before going on leave, managers and employees could discuss how to stay in contact during the employee’s leave and how often. Employees’ attachment to the workplace is an important factor in their decision to return to work and when.
Obligation under the Industrial Relations Act 1999
Section 38A of the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (PDF, 2.09MB) requires employers to take ‘reasonable action’ to inform and discuss with an employee, whilst on parental leave, significant changes in the workplace that are likely to have a significant effect on the status or responsibility level of the position the employee held before taking leave.
If, for example, an employer is thinking about restructuring it has to inform all those employees potentially affected by the restructure. Employers have to ensure that parents on parental leave receive all information send to affected employees, are invited to relevant meeting or alternatively are provided with the meeting notes, as to provide them with the same information as those employees present in the workplace.
Last updated 29 September 2009
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