More than a third of employers in a recent survey have received requests for
parental leave under the legislation introduced last year.
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Thirty six per cent of respondents to a poll conducted by law firm Allen
& Overy had received requests, despite the fact that only 12 per cent
offered paid leave. None of those organisations had asked their employees to
postpone taking leave, "indicating that the right is not as disruptive to
business as some have suggested".
Approximately 100 clients took part in the survey, more than half of which
employ 500 people or more. Only 21 per cent of employers said they requested
information on whether a new employee had taken any of their parental leave
entitlement from previous employers, running the risk of individuals abusing
their rights.
