Fairness to Fathers – Labour to double paid paternity leave to four weeks
Friday, April 3rd, 2015
A future Labour government would double the amount of paid paternity leave available to new fathers from two to four weeks, Ed Miliband has announced.
The Labour leader has also pledged to increase statutory paternity pay by more than £120 a week to £260 a week, paid for by savings in tax credits.
Some business leaders have said the £150m move amounts to a business “tax”.
A new system of shared parental leave championed by the Liberal Democrats comes into force in April.
The Lib Dems are also proposing, in future, a month’s worth of paternity leave after a child’s birth on a “use it or lose it” basis.
The Conservatives have supported greater flexibility in parental leave, arguing that all future spending policies need to pass a “families test”.
‘Crucial weeks’
Since 2003, new fathers have been entitled to two weeks’ paid leave if they meet certain criteria, such as having worked for their employer for a defined length of time.
But Labour says only about 55% of new fathers take the full two weeks off because of financial pressures forcing them to return to work.
Ed Miliband said current entitlements are “outdated” and giving fathers an “independent right” to a month off to care for their children would help 400,000 families give their children the “best start in life they can”.
Ed Miliband said current entitlements are “outdated” and giving fathers an “independent right” to a month off to care for their children would help 400,000 families give their children the “best start in life they can”.
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And what will they do about giving fathers access to their children. When are they going to stop selfish cruel women who do not allow fathers access to their children for months on end. Fathers have to ‘pay’ to see their own children. These cruel hard hearted women suffer no consequences and yet if CSA is not paid the father (who is not allowed to see his children by the cruel ex) can go to jail!! what are they going to do about that? There are thousands of broken hearted men in the UK being victimised by cruel selfish ugly and hard hearted women. No wonder the suicide rate among men is so high