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Fathers to get six months off?
November 2009
FATHERS TO GET SIX MONTHS OFF?
The government has announced plans to increase paternity leave to six months. Sounds like yet another headache. So why is there no need to panic?
More rights. Earlier this year it looked like the government was going to shelve its plans to extend paternity leave indefinitely. It had been proposing to allow fathers to have up to six months off once the mother had taken her first 26 weeks’ maternity leave. But these plans have returned – the government now wants to introduce these rights from April 2011.
Me or you? From then, it says that mothers will be allowed to transfer the last six months of their maternity leave to the father and return to work. Apparently, this will mean that both parents can share responsibility for a child, instead of it all falling to the woman.
What’s the pay? At the moment, fathers have the right to take two weeks statutory paternity leave (SPL) within 56 days of the child’s birth (or adoption). The current rate of statutory paternity pay (SPP) is £123.06pw. But under the new proposals employers would not have to pay SPP for the whole six months – it would only be payable for any weeks that overlapped with the mother’s 39-week statutory maternity pay period. To ensure that no overpayments are made each parent will have to provide details of their eligibility to both their employers and HMRC.
It’s no hassle. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills claims the proposed extension will really only affect one in every 137 small businesses. However, whilst this may be true, there’s actually no guarantee that these changes will come in at all – they’re still at the consultation stage and could quite easily be rejected. So until they’re confirmed, there’s no need to give your employee any extra SPL.
Tip. Even if the changes do come in, there will be no requirement on you to pay any enhanced rate of paternity pay. Keeping it at the statutory rate may deter any new fathers who are tempted to take it up.
Source: Tips & Advice Personnel 15 October 2009
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