More paid leave for working mums is planned

Working mums are to be offered an extra three months' paid maternity leave - worth almost £1,400, under plans in a consultation published today (Monday 28 February 2005) by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt MP.

The consultation includes proposals to:

* Extend maternity pay and adoption pay from six months to nine months by April 2007 with the goal of a year's paid leave by the end of the next Parliament;

* Introduce a new right for mothers to transfer a proportion of their maternity leave and pay to fathers to give more choice to mums and dads when caring for their children in the first year;

* Consider extending the right to request flexible working hours to carers of adults and parents of older children;

* Help employers - particularly small businesses - by giving them greater certainty about when employees are returning to work;

* Simplify the administration of maternity leave and pay for employers, including whether the government should pay parents direct through the Inland Revenue.

Patricia Hewitt said: " It's not the job of Government to tell mothers, or fathers, how to live their lives, but it is our job to give them more choices and more support so they can give their children the best start in life.

" Family and working life is changing. It's no longer the case that dad works while mum stays at home. Today, often both parents have to work and greater flexibility is needed. Helping hard working parents give their children the best start and give carers greater help is not only good for families but is good news for our economic growth and prosperity.

" Employers find greater flexibility suits their business needs well. At a time of record employment, and in the war for talent, they attract and retain good staff, matching their business needs with the needs of the individual, which helps generate a more committed working environment.

" We've already introduced the best ever package of family friendly working rights - and this goes even further. This consultation builds on our commitment to help working families give their children the best start in life."

This Government has already introduced the biggest ever package of measures to support working parents. The 2003 Employment Bill introduced paid paternity leave, increased maternity pay, extended maternity leave to a year for most mothers, and created a new right to request flexible working for fathers and mothers.

(28/02/05)

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