Plans for extended paternity leave have been resurrected this week. This idea
has been around for some years and there was a consultation on it in
May 2007 but the recession forced the government to postpone their plans.

Parents will be able to split ‘maternity leave’. After 6 months’ maternity
leave, a mother will be able to transfer the last 6 months of her maternity leave to the father (with 3 months being paid at the existing statutory maternity pay rate). Parents will be able to ‘self certify’ by providing details of their eligibility to their employer.

There are no more details at present. A further consultation will now take place, and the objective is to introduce the law by April 2010 with it having effect for parents of children due on or after 3 April 2011.

The CIPD has said there will be a huge administrative burden on employers and question how popular this will be as their research shows that most fathers don’t take their existing entitlement to 2 weeks’ paid paternity leave because of financial reasons with most preferring to take paid holiday instead.

It is to be assumed however where the mother is the “main breadwinner” that some couples may opt for financial reasons for the mother to return to work and the father take on responsibility for looking after the child.

More details on the consultation will appear in our newsletter and blog.