UCU is holding an open meeting – for staff at the university whether or not you are a union member – on Tuesday 9 September 12-1pm to find out about parents’ experience of university benefits and support for parents (for example maternity leave, paternity/ partner leave, adoption leave, neonatal care leave, parental leave and shared parental leave).

The UCU University of Leeds branch committee wants to hear about your experience of accessing these benefits.

• Was it easy to arrange?
• Was the level of financial support sufficient? 
• How was your experience of returning to work afterward?
• Were you turned down for any of these benefits because you hadn’t been an employee for enough time to qualify?

Why are we holding this meeting?

UCU is committed to making the university a family friendly workplace and equalising the pay gaps.  The university is currently reviewing their parental leave benefits as part of a wider policy review and will consult with the trade unions on any new proposals for these benefits.  We will use what you tell us about your experience and views on these benefits to inform our response to proposals.

Who is this meeting for?

People working at the University of Leeds, especially those particularly doing academic, professional or managerial work, who have experience of the university’s parental leave policies and benefits.

How do I sign up for the meeting?

If you’re a UCU member, you’ll have a Zoom invitation in an email on 2 September from UCU University of Leeds <noreply@ucu.org.uk>

If you’re not a UCU member, email ucu@leeds.ac.uk, ideally using your university email, to request the Zoom link.

This page was last updated on 5 September 2025