Dads may get more paternity leave
Fathers of newly born babies could be given half a year’s parental leave, the Government has said.
At present, mothers can take six months’ paid maternity leave, followed by six months’ unpaid leave if they so decide.
But Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt – in a bid to encourage men to play a more active part in the upbringing of children – may allow fathers to take six months of unpaid leave, if their wives or partners want to return to work from the first initial spell of maternity leave.
Mrs Hewitt told The Times: “At the time we looked at extending maternity leave there were many people arguing that the extra six months we have now added on to maternity leave should be made available to the father.
“We decided at that time not to offer it to fathers. But I am in favour of fathers being able to play a very active role in the children’s lives and having leave specific to fathers can definitely help.
“I want to look at how to take this whole package forward and six months off for fathers is one way of doing it, although there may be other ways.”
The new arrangements may come on line in 2006.
Since April of this year new fathers have been entitled to two weeks paid paternity leave, with both parents legally entitled to ask for flexible working patterns if their offspring are under six years of age.
Statutory Paternity Pay (PP) grants fathers a minimum of £100 a week, or 90 per cent of their average weekly earnings if this is less, for two weeks.
The Confederation of British Industry’s deputy director-general John Cridland was decidedly gloomy about the prospect. “Major new parental leave arrangements came into force in April this year. Business is punch-drunk with regulation. Any extension would be distinctly premature,” he told the newspaper.
