Paternity Rights (or wrongs?)

Paternity rights has turned into quite a hot topic – despite a recent increase in Statutory Paternity Pay, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has chipped in with proposed plans to extend paternity rights further, a move that has been met with both positive and negative reaction from Britain’s small businesses.

The plans put forth by the Equality and Human Rights Commission are asking for fathers to be given at least 90 per cent of their weekly salary over their two weeks paternity leave compared with the current £123.06 minimum that they are currently being provided with.

Furthermore the commission is also claiming that fathers should be allowed four months worth of ‘parental leave’ following on from the mother’s maternity entitlement while still being paid at least 90 per cent of their salary for at least 8 weeks.

The commission’s plans are quite a change from the current situation and it is obvious why many small businesses are against the idea.

45 per cent say plans are fair!

However a study by smallbusiness.co.uk has found that 45 per cent of small businesses would actually welcome the change.  The survey shows that almost half of the small businesses in the country are sympathetic to the needs of fathers and would see the extension proposed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission as being a fair move.

The commission are also calling for maternity leave to be cut from 9 months to 6 months to allow fathers to gain more paid leave time that they could spend with their children.

The call by the commission for new regulations comes at the same time that the Statutory Paternity Rates go up from £117.18 per week to £123.06 which happened on 5 April 2009.

Good for mums too…

The plans, being labeled the Working Better strategy, are planned to slowly come into effect over a 10-year-period and is not completely aimed at providing benefits for fathers – the plans also propose to extend maternity pay to 90 per cent of the salary over 26 weeks up from only 6 weeks.

However, the Federation of Small Businesses has been quick to come to the rescue of the small businesses in the country that fear such a move – Stephen Alambritis has made it clear that the current economic condition is not the place to introduce and implement such dramatic changes.

“We are not saying no to the proposals and we are not saying yes.  But if the Government does agree to the plans, we need to make sure that small employers are reimbursed for the extra money they will have to pay out to employees on maternity or paternity leave,” said Alambritis.

£5.3 billion…

Alambritis urged the Government to perform a “reality check” before giving the plans any serious thought.  Despite 45 per cent of small businesses encouraging the move, which could cost up-to £5.3 billion to implement, it could have seriously catastrophic effects on the economy at such a hectic time.

Paternity or Maternity?

Do you encourage paternity rights or do you think we should stay the way we are while the economy is so unhinged?  Leave us a comment and let us know what you think…

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