Small businesses are being warned to be prepared when the new Work and Families legislation comes into effect on April 6th 2007.
Any workers who have babies on or after this date will be entitled to additional maternity and adoption pay, as well as extended parental leave from six to nine months.
The legislation will also entitle carers of adults to request flexible working, and will enable fathers to claim up to 26 weeks additional paternity leave, which he may be entitled to be paid for if the mother returns to work without using up all of her maternity leave.
Jonathan Hollow, businesslink.gov.uk's portal editor, told Bytestart: "Small businesses can feel anxious about new legislation particularly when they involve staffing issues which notoriously leaves them feeling vulnerable."
The legislation will also incorporate measures to help employers manage the administration of the changes, and to plan ahead.
