Maternity/ paternity debate

The final days of January re-ignited the maternity-paternity debate once again as the Government unveiled further plans to change fathers’ entitlement to paternity leave.

The proposal, which followed Gordon Brown’s original announcement last September to give “…children more time with the two people who love them most”, would allow fathers up to six months’ paternity leave with three months paid. Intended to provide couples with greater flexibility, it has also been said that fathers may be given the right to take time off during the second half of a baby’s first year if the mother decides to return to work.

Yet the Government’s proposed changes have been met with much negativity. It is certainly important to acknowledge the difficult implications, namely cost, that such revisions could present for SMEs if introduced in April. Indeed the changes could effectively double the challenges faced by smaller companies that already struggle when offering statutory maternity leave.

However this beleaguered veil of disapproval must not cloud the fact that this is a giant leap towards achieving a greater level of equality in the workplace, and even the smallest of companies are capable of managing the changes.

For the Government’s plans to be a success we think that senior managers should be supporting fathers who want to embrace their paternity entitlement, and should be championing the legislative changes. A caring and consultative approach is likely to encourage soon-to-be-fathers to consider paternity leave options as soon as they are aware of the pregnancy, hopefully giving the company 6 – 7 months to plan for and arrange temporary cover. Companies should never assume that the full paternity, or indeed maternity leave, will not be taken because by planning for every possible scenario, change is naturally easier to deal with. The cost to recruit temporary cover can obviously not be overlooked, however SMEs must remember that the majority of statutory payments will be paid by the Government, therefore helping to alleviate any monetary concerns.

No-one can be certain what the take up level will be if the plans become reality, but at least the positive opportunity is there for fathers to seize.

activHR Consulting helps organisations comply with ever changing legislation across all HR and Payroll areas ensuring best practice and legislative compliance automatically.

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