Same Sex Parents - Know Your Rights (Leaflet 372)

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents in the UK now enjoy very similar rights to heterosexual parents. This leaflet aims to help Reps support LGBT members by setting out the basic rights same sex parents have.

Download: Same Sex Parents - Know Your Rights (Leaflet 372)

Date Posted: 29 March 2012

 

 

 

Thanks to big improvements in the legal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the UK, lesbian and gay parents now enjoy very similar rights to heterosexual parents.

Despite this, a growing number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents are being refused paternity leave, adoption leave and time off for dependants on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Managers sometimes fail to understand that our LGBT members can be parents and that they have exactly the same rights to time off and pay as straight couples in these circumstances.

The rights set out in this leaflet are legal minimum rights - Usdaw may have negotiated improvements with your employer. Check with your Usdaw Rep or local Usdaw office to find out if you have better rights than those set out in this leaflet.

This leaflet includes the following sections:

• Paternity/Maternity Leave and Pay 
• Adoption
• Fostering
• Time Off for Dependants
• LGBT and The Law
• Parental Leave

For more detailed information on maternity and parental rights contact the Equalities Section on 0161 224 2804 or e-mail parentsandcarers@usdaw.org.uk for a copy of Usdaw's Maternity and Parental Rights Pack.

Same Sex Parents - Know Your Rights (Leaflet 372) was correct at date of publication March 2012.