Issue - meetings

Vicki David, HR Officer, presented the updated General Leave Policy to the Committee. She said that statutory changes meant the Council needed to update the policy to include statutory parental bereavement leave.  The Council already offered the first week of this leave on full pay. UNISON had requested that this provision be extended to a second week.  The request had been accepted by the Local Joint Panel (LJP). The LJP also supported a proposal to remove the 26 week length of service qualifier for this entitlement.

It was moved by Councillor Alder and seconded by Councillor McMullen that the recommendations, as detailed, be approved.  After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the update to the General Leave Policy to reflect legislation changes from 6 April 2020 regarding statutory parental bereavement leave and pay be approved;

(B) that the proposal to enhance the second statutory week of bereavement pay to full pay as requested by UNISON and agreed by Leadership Team and LJP be approved; and

(C) that the removal of the statutory qualifying period of 26 weeks for the second week of full pay, be approved.

The Secretary to the Employer’s Side (and Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development) submitted a report on the proposed updated General Leave Policy.  He explained that this had been updated to reflect legislative changes (Jack’s Law) from 6 April 2020 regarding statutory parental bereavement leave and pay and also sought approval of a proposal to enhance the second statutory week of bereavement pay to full pay as requested by UNISON and agreed by Leadership Team. 

The Head of HR explained that the proposed changes were unlikely to impact on the Council detrimentally and would support the mental impact on a parent in such a difficult situation. 

Ms Forde from the Staff Side referred to paragraph 3.3 and the 26 week qualification period of needing to be in the Council’s employment.  She felt that as the proposal to pay the second week at full pay was unlikely to impact on the Council detrimentally, then this qualification period should be removed. 

In respect of a query from Councillor Haysey, the Head of HR explained that whilst the 26 period was a statutory requirement, removing this qualification period would not impact on other Council policies and the existing East Herts 5 day (1^st week) provision did not have a qualifying period.

It was moved by Councillor Haysey and seconded by Councillor Stevenson that the 26 qualifying period be removed from the second week of full pay. 

After being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that Human Resources Committee be advised that the Local Joint Panel (A) support the approval of the updates to the general leave policy to reflect legislation changes from 6 April 2020 regarding statutory parental bereavement leave and pay; and that

(B) a proposal to enhance the second statutory week of bereavement pay to full pay be supported, subject to the removal of the 26 week qualifying period