What's happened to the idea of work/life balance? In February 2005, theGovernment issued a consultation paper called Work and Families: Choiceand Flexibility, followed by the Work and Families Bill, soon tocomplete its passage through Parliament. Now the Government isconsulting on a series of draft regulations, focusing on parental leaveand linked to the new legislation.
And what do these consultations cover? Maternity and adoption leave andpay, as well as flexible working regulations (which is really aboutadult caring responsibilities). There's a complementary paper out forconsultation that deals with paternity leave and pay.
What are the changes going to be? Perhaps we should look at the currentrules first. At the moment, pregnant employees are entitled to 26 weeks"ordinary" maternity leave. However, in order to qualify for additionalmaternity leave, mothers must have worked with their employer for atleast six months prior to the 14th week before they are due to givebirth. The new rules remove this requirement so that all mothers areentitled to ordinary and additional leave.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
