January 28, 2011
Expectant parents employed throughout England and Wales will soon benefit from wholesale changes to employment legislation geared towards better accommodating new families.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, current employment laws "patronise women and marginalise men" and many modern families are eager for flexibility to be given after the birth of a baby.
"In the coming weeks we will be launching a consultation on a new properly flexible system of shared parental leave, that we aim to introduce in 2015," Mr Clegg added.
The news follows recently proposed reforms, scheduled to take place from April 2011, under which both new mothers and fathers could take up to five months off work together.
From April 2011, fathers will be able to take up to six months of a mother's unused maternity leave when she goes back to work. But the Government is keen to extend the legislation in the coming years.
Under the latest proposals, after a baby's birth the mother would be guaranteed the first six weeks off at 90 per cent pay but the remaining parental leave could be shared between the parents.
But the reforms have received lukewarm reception within some employment circles, with David Frost, Direct of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) stating:
“While Nick Clegg’s announcement on shared parental leave may prove politically popular, it fundamentally ignores the needs of business. Last week, David Cameron claimed a pro-growth, pro-business, pro-jobs agenda, but now the Government expects small businesses to cope with yet more red tape.
“This is yet another example of rushed thinking. It suggests that the Government is out of touch with how to support business owners. This sort of red tape is like a sledgehammer hitting small businesses which should be sources of growth and jobs.”
Regardless of the BCC’s viewpoint, thousands of expectant parents across the UK have welcomed the Government’s decision with open arms. If you’re unsure how the maternity leave reforms will affect your rights, contact our legal experts today.
