We reported about this time last year on the
last government’s
proposals for additional paternity leave of up to 26
weeks, if the mother returns to work before the
end of her maternity leave. These will come into
force in the UK April this year. The coalition
government says it wants to go further, and
introduce a more flexible system of shared parental
leave. This should be brought in in 2015, after
detailed consultation with parents and businesses.
 According
to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg: “We know that
men need to be actively encouraged to take time off.
And often parents want more flexibility than these
arrangements will allow. So 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. I would have liked it to
be sooner. But getting this right will take time.
“The options we are working through will have
massive consequences for parents up and down the
country, and they have to be considered
carefully. It would be wholly irresponsible to
rush these changes. And, at a time of continued
economic uncertainty, we cannot just spring them
on employers. “We need to work with business
to make absolutely sure that, from their point
of view, the new system is sustainable and
affordable. And that, ultimately, leaves British
companies benefitting from a happier, more
productive workforce.” “We want to create an
environment that encourages parents and their
employers to discuss leave plans openly and
constructively. And we want to help businesses
keep the staff that they have invested in.”
Mr Clegg was speaking at the launch of a report
by think-tank Demos The Home Front, on policy for
parenting. He confirmed that the arrangements
of the last government for new rules for paternity
leave would go ahead this April, despite calls from
some quarters to delay them. And he announced
that new proposals would be coming forward to create
a more flexible and equal system of leave for
parents. The proposals have not been worked
through yet, but Mr Clegg put forward four key
principles that would underpin them:
- Any new arrangement must absolutely maintain
women's guaranteed right to time off in the
first months after birth, paid as it is now; and
protect the rights of lone mothers.
- The reforms must transform the opportunities
for fathers to take time off to care for their
children.
- It must be possible for mother and fathers
to share part of their leave, splitting it
between them, in whatever way suits them best.
- The new system must take into account the
needs of employers and it must be simple to
administer
Ideas in the melting pot include different
options for sharing the overall allowance after
the first few weeks between both parents,
including being able to take it in a number of
chunks rather than in a single block. And
the government is exploring options to encourage
men to take more leave: for example, through
use-it-or-lose it blocks of time, especially
reserved for fathers. We look forward to
seeing these proposals, and how they interface
with wider provision of flexible work.
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