Blair angers employers over paternity leave

Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday angered employers when he pledged to introduce
paid paternity leave before the end of a consultative period on a parents’
working rights Green Paper.

Ruth Lea, head of employment policy at the Institute of Directors, said, “We spend a
lot of time responding during consultation periods but I am starting to wonder
what is the point.”

The consultation period on the Work and Parents: Competitiveness and Choice Green
Paper doesn’t end until 7 March.

The proposals were tabled in a Green Paper on parental rights last year and would
entitle working fathers to a fortnight off work on an allowance of £60.20 – the
same rate as statutory maternity pays.

The Government is still considering other proposals in the Green Paper, which
include introducing rights for mothers to work part-time after having children.

Blair was speaking at Labour’s spring conference in Glasgow.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

www.dti.gov.uk

By
Richard Staines