Britain mulls 6 months' leave for new dads
( 2004-01-02 14:23) (Agencies)
New fathers in Britain could be
given six months off work to care for their babies, Trade and Industry Secretary
Patricia Hewitt said.
New mothers in Britain are entitled to higher maternity pay for six months
and six months' unpaid extra leave, bringing the total to a year.
Under Ms Hewitt's shake-up, fathers could take the second six months of
unpaid leave off if their wives or partners want to return to work.
'At the time we looked at extending maternity leave there were many people
arguing that the extra six months we have now added on to maternity leave should
be made available to the father,' she told The Times newspaper.
'I am in favour of fathers being able to play a very active role in the
children's lives and having leave specific to fathers can definitely help,' she
said.
The new proposal was condemned by one business leader.
'Major new parental leave arrangements came into force in April of 2003.
Business is punch-drunk with regulation. Any extension would be distinctly
premature,' the Confederation of British Industry's deputy director-general John
Cridland told The Times.
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