UK: Queen's Speech boosts fathers' rights

Submitted by anthony on Tue, 2012-05-15 03:37

Article here. Excerpt:

'David Cameron and Nick Clegg promised “unprecedented support for parents” with a new Children and Families Bill, which also contained measures to make it easier to adopt, and more support for children with special needs.

Parents’ groups “cautiously welcomed” the proposals but business leaders warned that making parental leave more flexible would impose complex “burdens” on employers.

Officials said current rules on maternity and paternity leave were “outdated” because they presumed that women will do the “vast majority” of caring for infants.

A spokesman for the Department for Business said: "Parents should be able to choose their childcare arrangements for themselves.”'

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Comments

For time off for birth of baby, they should do it how it is here in the USA. It is unpaid and is officially called "family leave" (although most people commonly refer to it as paternity or maternity leave). It is available to both genders.

Let the parents decide how much time off they can afford and which parent should take it.

edit: Family leave can be taken for any significant family need, it does not neccesarily have to be for birth of a baby. It is an employers legal obligation to give you so many weeks off per year (unpaid). Some people use it for birth, death, accident, or a need to care for a family member who has health or medical needs.

The "Family and Medical Leave Act" is the legal istrument used to grant paternity and maternity leave in the USA. As you can see it can be used for other situations as well; so in my opinion, it is fair to everyone.

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Submitted by Kris on Tue, 2012-05-15 17:56