The government needs to take care not to create a “bureaucratic tangle” when it comes to new paternity laws, the confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned.
Katja Hall, CBI director of employment policy, said businesses are currently doing their best to support parents’ right to request flexible working styles and that new reforms will give employees more room to adapt to suit the needs of their childcare responsibilities.
Her comments come as paternity legislation enabling new mothers to transfer the second half of their year-long maternity leave to the father is due to come into effect next year.
However, a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Orange has revealed only 18 per cent of working men would take all of the proposed six month paternity leave.
For 47 per cent of males who felt this way, money concerns were the main factors in them opting against taking the leave, while 15 per cent felt their position was too vital to the business for them to afford time off.
“We recognise the need for greater gender equality when it comes to childcare responsibilities, but the government must get these new rules right and not create a bureaucratic tangle,” said Ms Hall.
Posted by Hayley Edwards
