12/10/2012

New Parental Leave Proposal To Give New Fathers A Year Off

The coalition have put forward a proposal that would allow fathers to take the majority of the first year of a baby's life off work, if the mother goes back to work.

New legislation, planned for next year, says that if a mother is the family's main breadwinner, she can go back to work after two weeks and the father can claim "flexible parental leave", the Daily Telegraph has reported.

However following a disagreement in the cabinet over the potential impact on business, implementation of the scheme will not take place until October 2015, the paper added.

Under the current system, mothers are legally entitled to 90% of their earnings for the first six weeks after birth. They can then receive a maternity allowance – equivalent to either 90% of earnings or £135.45 a week, whichever is the lowest – for an additional 33 weeks. Some employers offer more generous terms.

Fathers are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave and mothers can transfer their leave to their partners after the first six months.

The new system will mean that either the mother or father can claim parental leave and the allowance after two weeks.

"This is being introduced slowly and with great care to ensure that it does not undermine business during the difficult economic times,” a government source told the Telegraph.

"But it was a coalition pledge and it is important to both the prime minister and the Liberal Democrats that both parents should be supported to spend time with their new children."

(H)


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