Harman victory sees fathers get paternity leave ....

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Harman victory sees fathers get paternity leave so mothers can return to work

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Fathers will be able take up to six months off as official paternity leave while the baby’s mother returns to work, the Government will announce today.

The father will be allowed to take time off work to replace the last three months of his partner's nine-month maternity leave.
He would be eligible during the three month period to statutory Government pay of £123 a week.

After nine months, fathers will even have the right the stay off work unpaid for another three months.

Ministers believe it will allow mothers who earn more than their partners to return earlier to work than has otherwise been possible.

Government data has shown that around 350,000 expectant mothers a year are at work. Around two thirds return to work.

It represents a victory for Harriet Harman, the Equalities Minister, who has championed the cause in a bitter Cabinet battle with Lord Mandelson who has fought for business to be spared the extra administrative and financial burden.

Under the current laws, fathers are allowed two weeks paternity leave when their child is born. That will continue, but after the mother has spent six months of leave she can then return to work and allow the father to take the remaining three month’s statutory paid leave and up to six months in total off work.

The new paternity changes will come into force in April next year and parents will be able to use the new transferable right to leave for children born after that date.

The timing will, however, infuriate business groups who argue that firms cannot bear more regulation at such a sensitive time for the economy. On Tuesday, poorer than expected figures showed that Britain had only just scarped out of recession with growth of 0.1 per cent.

Last night, the British Chambers of Commerce pointed out that the new measure would be one of eight extra costs to business that have already been planned for next year. In total, they estimate that red tape and planed increases in national insurance will cost £25.6 billion over the next four years.

David Frost, director general of the BCC, has written to Lord Mandelson and Pat McFadden, the Business Minister, and urged them to recognise that business needs a period of stability.

He said: "In order for businesses to get on with creating jobs, the constant threat of tinkering to employment law - from both parties - must stop. The next government needs to create the right regulatory environment that will encourage companies to take on more staff and drive economic recovery. There should be a commitment to a three year moratorium on the implementation of new employment regulation."

Mr McFadden last night told The Daily Telegraph that business should not fear the new rules and that they were simply “a useful element to flexible choice” for parents.
Ministers expect only between four and eight per cent of those eligible to take the new leave to do so. The Business Department claims that only around one per cent of small businesses will be affected.

Mr McFadden added: “The Government has transformed the help available to new parents with increased maternity pay and leave and the introduction of paternity leave. The balance between work and family life has changed for the better in the past decade and these changes will give parents the chance to share their leave will give families a useful element of flexibility and choice.”

The Fawcett Society who campaign for equality between men and women welcomed the move for increased paternity rights.

Ceri Goddard, the chief executive, said: “It is important that we recognise that if we are going to really challenge the inequalities faced by women at work and the assumption that women are they only carers of children then we need to give fathers a chance to share of parental leave.

“There is a huge appetite among fathers to spend more time with their children. This extra choice is a good thing.”

Lord Mandelson had argued last year that any moves to share paid maternity leave should be shelved because of the burden on business.

The Government has, however, backed away from extending, from nine months to a year, mother's paid maternity leave period.

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, won an important concession however on the issue of extending maternity leave to 12 months.

Labour had hoped that a manifesto pledge to extend statutory paid leave to 12 months would be in place by now, but it has been shelved. The commitment is likely to be repeated in this year’s election manifesto but only as an aspiration for when the economic recovery allows.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Last night, the British Chambers of Commerce pointed out that the new measure would be one of eight extra costs to business that have already been planned for next year. In total, they estimate that red tape and planed increases in national insurance will cost £25.6 billion over the next four years.

Yadda , Yadda ---------- Is it just me or does it seem like that every time there is any improvement in statutory T&Cs for workers the businesses always complain.

1. In a recession - costs are too much already.....
2. Coming out of a recession - It threatens the recovery because of extra costs.
3. In a growth period - It threatens growth and may cause business to lay people off or firms to close.

When exactly do they think it is ok for employees to gain in some way from improvements to their lot at work.