The UK government wants companies to do more for new parents

Shared parental permission to level the gender playing field

As of December 1 of this year, fathers have the same rights as mothers when it comes to taking time off work after the birth of a child.

For all babies born after April 2015, employers must offer shared parental leave of up to 50 weeks, instead of the father’s usual fortnights.

Parents use the vacation allowance for maternity

In a move that has been welcomed by a generation of working mothers, fathers can now choose how to divide their paternity leave among themselves, opening the door to a much more equal division of childcare. In fact, a recent Mumsnet survey revealed that prior to these changes, around 39% of fathers had to use their paid holidays to support their partner and new baby during the postpartum period.

Now, it will be possible to share up to 50 weeks of leave and 39 weeks of salary in any combination, plus a mandatory 2-week period immediately after delivery, which must be taken by the mother. The message, it seems, is getting through: Recent research by outsourcing company ADP found that up to a third of surveyed expectant parents plan to take advantage of the new legislation.

shared parenting rights

There is no doubt, however, that a radical cultural change in attitudes will not happen overnight. Employers are concerned about the effect these changes will have on their workforce, and parents fear losing money and status if they leave their jobs for months.

The Scandinavian model, however, is proof that shared parenting rights can become the norm when government and business work together. In Sweden, Norway and Iceland, a percentage of leave is reserved exclusively for fathers, around 80% of their salary; the so-called “dad’s share”.

Far from creating pressure, the head of one of Norway’s largest labor associations says that, in fact, “it strengthens the position of men in the family and women in the workplace.”

So, for the new laws to make a real difference here, the government is calling on employers to take positive steps: make employees aware of their rights, align notice periods for pay and vacations to simplify the system and maintain the right of parents to return to the same job after their leave.

In return, they can expect to benefit from a system that allows them to keep talented women in the workforce and have a more motivated and productive staff overall.