Cameron called upon to accelerate reforms for working parents
Janaki Mahadevan
Friday, October 21, 2011
Charity leaders have written to Prime Minister David Cameron demanding that he push forward plans to improve flexible working, amid reports that government plans to improve work environments for parents have stalled.
The Family and Parenting Institute and Working Families’ chief executives along with 11 members of the Working Parents Group have urged Cameron to push ahead with the reforms set out in the Modern Workplaces consultation paper, which include extending the right to request flexible working to all employees and improving parental leave.
The letter suggests that any further delay on the proposals will jeopardise Cameron’s aim for his to be the most family-friendly government in history.
"We believe that further change is critical to your aim of delivering a more family friendly Britain. We urge you not to delay the further reforms, which will benefit the economy as well as families.
"Good employers already reap the benefits of widespread flexible working from reduced absenteeism and recruitment costs, to improved performance and commitment from flexible workers. They have nothing to fear from the proposed extension of the right to request to all employees."
The signatories said the Modern Workplaces proposals "recognise the reality of modern parenting" and said that ministers have already promised more flexible leave arrangements will not be in place before 2015, giving time for employers to prepare.
