|
The Government has today announced more detail on its plans for a new system of flexible parental leave to help parents balance their work and family commitments.
The coalition agreement included a commitment to “encouraging shared parenting from the earliest stages of pregnancy – including the promotion of a system of parental leave.”
Speaking at a Demos event on contemporary parenting, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:
Right now, most parents simply do not have flexibility they need. Despite the fact fathers can request flexible working, many feel reluctant to do so. There is still a stigma attached. And, when a child is born, men are still only entitled to a paltry two weeks of paternity leave. These rules patronize women and marginalise men.
"They're based on a view of life in which mothers stay at home and fathers are the only breadwinners. So in the coming weeks we will be launching a consultation on a new properly flexible system of shared parental leave, that we aim to introduce in 2015. |
The Department for Business will be launching a consultation soon which will explore proposals for the design of this more flexible system of parental leave. The consultation will also consider how best to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
We want to help parents juggle work and family life and create a fairer and more family friendly society.
“We will consult fully with businesses on how best to proceed and we are conscious of the concerns of some companies, particularly SMEs – but I hope they will embrace our plans. More and more businesses are appreciating that family friendly workplaces are motivated and productive workplaces. |
Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Theresa May said:
|
It’s not the job of Government to tell families how they should be raising their children – they should be able to decide for themselves. That’s why we’re going to work with business to create a new system of flexible leave that gives new parents the choice and freedom to decide what’s best for them and their children. |
|
