News
New Help for Working Parents
29/01/2010
By Claire West
Legislation to give parents more choice and flexibility in how they use maternity and paternity leave will be introduced under Government plans outlined today.
New fathers can take advantage of additional paternity leave and pay during the second six months of the child's life, if the mother wishes to return to work with maternity leave outstanding. This will enable parents to share a period of paid leave between them, giving families greater flexibility in how they choose to look after their children.
In order to give employers time to adjust the changes will be introduced for parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011.
Business Minister Pat McFadden said:
"The Government has transformed the help available to new parents with increased maternity pay and leave and the introduction of paternity leave. The balance between work and family life has changed for the better in the past decade and these changes will give parents the chance to share their leave and will give families a useful element of flexibility and choice.
Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, said:
"Mothers will be able to choose to transfer the last six months of their maternity leave to the father, with three months paid. This gives families radically more choice and flexibility in how they balance work and care of children, and enables fathers to play a bigger part in bringing up their children.
"We've doubled maternity leave; doubled maternity pay; introduced paternity leave; more than doubled good quality affordable childcare places; and introduced right to request flexible working.
"This is a further family friendly policy."
The move comes as the Government publishes its response to a consultation on the subject held at the end of 2009. The regulations will mean:
Fathers will be entitled to up to six months extra leave, which can be taken once the... continued on page two >
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