After my warning to father-to-be and reading about 'joys' of pregnancy, which I guess I am having a fair share of those 'joys' lately, I guess it is nice to read about something rather constructive and paternally-friendly from UK.
Hopefully, some fellas in the our Bolehland's Parliahment could come up with something constructive like longer paternity leave, instead of suggesting the prolongation of compulsory service of junior doctors, which is technically and basically the most efficient way to brain-drained our public healthcare of its human resources.
The pimped newspiece as below:
Fathers to get six months of paternity leave
They will have a legal right to take the place of the mother at home for the last three months of her nine-month maternity break.Fathers would be eligible during that three-month paternity leave to statutory government pay of £123 a week.
They would then be allowed to take an additional unpaid three months off, in effect providing families with 12 months of parental leave.
Ministers believe the measure would allow mothers who earn more than their partners to return to work earlier than would otherwise have been possible. Government data has shown that about 350,000 working mothers give birth every year. Two thirds return to work.
The announcement represents a victory for Harriet Harman, the Equalities Minister, who has championed the cause in a Cabinet battle with Lord Mandelson. He wanted businesses to be spared the extra administrative and financial burden.
Last night, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) pointed out that the new measure would be one of eight extra costs to businesses already planned for next year. In total, business leaders estimate that red tape and planned increases in national insurance will cost £25.6 billion over the next four years.
At present, fathers are allowed two weeks of paternity leave when their child is born. That will continue, but after the mother has spent six months of her permitted nine months maternity leave, she will be able to return to work – swapping with the father.
The changes will come into force in April next year and apply to children born after that date.
The timing will infuriate business groups who argue that firms cannot bear more regulation at such a sensitive time for the economy.
On Tuesday, poorer than expected quarterly figures showed that Britain had only just scraped out of recession with growth of 0.1 per cent.
David Frost, the director general of the BCC, has written to Lord Mandelson and Pat McFadden, the Business Minister, urging them to recognise that businesses need a period of stability.
He said: “In order for businesses to get on with creating jobs, the constant threat of tinkering to employment law – from both parties – must stop.
‘‘The next government needs to create the right regulatory environment that will encourage companies to take on more staff and drive economic recovery. There should be a commitment to a three-year moratorium on the implementation of new employment regulation.”
Last night Mr McFadden said businesses should not fear the new rules and that they were simply “a useful element to flexible choice” for parents.
Ministers expect only between four and eight per cent of those eligible to take the new leave will do so. The Business Department claims that only one per cent of small businesses will be affected.
Mr McFadden added: “The Government has transformed the help available to new parents with increased maternity pay and leave and the introduction of paternity leave.
‘‘The balance between work and family life has changed for the better in the past decade and these changes will give parents the chance to share their leave and will give families a useful element of flexibility and choice.”
The Fawcett Society, which campaigns for equality between men and women, welcomed the move. Ceri Goddard, the chief executive, said: “There is a huge appetite among fathers to spend more time with their children. This extra choice is a good thing.”
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