Paternity leave entitlement increase plans being reviewed

The coalition government is considering changes to regulations proposed by the previous Labour government on extended paternity leave for fathers.

The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 would give additional rights to fathers including the right to take up to six months paternity leave as well as their current two-week entitlement. However, they would only be entitled to take the additional leave if the mother has returned to work and even then not before the baby is 20 weeks old. The coalition, which also proposed new measures before the election, is looking to go further by introducing ways to give parents more flexibility over how and when they share leave between them and could include both parents taking time off simultaneously.

In the House of Commons the minister for women and inequalities, Theresa May, did not confirm that Labour’s original regulations would go ahead, furthering speculation that the coalition will introduce its own measures instead.

She told the Commons: “We are looking into how we can avoid constantly requiring businesses to effect innovations, and we are examining the timetabling of the additional paternity leave and flexible parental leave regulations.”