The government has been urged to do more to support working parents, primarily by offering new fathers the right to more paid time off work.
Speaking at an Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) conference today, children’s minister Beverley Hughes argued that paid paternity leave should be doubled from two weeks to four.
As part of a package of measures to support working families, Hughes also called for an increase in the rate of maternity and paternity pay, a standard entitlement of 13 weeks’ paid parental leave and for all jobs to be advertised as part-time, job-share or flexi-time.
Commenting on the paternity leave proposals, Beverley Hughes MP said: “Things are changing for women at work but fathers who want to work flexibly and play an active role in their child’s life are not being encouraged and valued by enough of their employers. This has to change.”
However, Natalie Evans, head of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), argued that Hughes’ plans might be a step too far, particularly for smaller firms, and would need to be carefully considered.
She said: “While we support the government’s efforts to assist new parents, having employees out of the office for increasing periods of time has a cost associated with it for employers.
“The government needs to ensure that a balance is maintained between an employer’s labour requirements and an employee’s family circumstances.”
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is currently calling on businesses to comment on proposals to enable fathers to take up to 26 weeks’ additional paternity leave, some of which can be paid if the mother of the child has returned to work.
The consultation closes on August 3 2007.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
