Work and Families Bill

My understanding is that nothing in the Bill changes the current arrangements, and clearly the employer has to follow the correct procedures. Having the extended notice helps the replacement employee. They need to be told at the outset that they are a replacement and that they will finish at that point. The proper procedures should be followed. I hope that that reassures the hon. Gentleman. The amendment will allow section 106 to be extended to include the dismissal of employees taken on to cover absence due to additional paternity leave. In the majority of cases, such an absence will be short and the replacement employee will not have enough continuous service with their employer to enable them to claim unfair dismissal. However, there may be circumstances, including where additional paternity leave is taken on the death of the mother, where the father’s absence is long enough to allow the replacement to clock up one year’s service and be able to claim unfair dismissal. The extension of section 106 will provide certainty to employers managing the new entitlement to additional paternity leave. Employers will know that they can take on a replacement to cover the absence without concern about their ability to end the replacement employee’s contract. I commend the amendment to the House.