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Labour pledges new employment rights

by Rachel Crook

New employment rights that could affect small business owners and their HR teams have been pledged by Labour in its 2010 election manifesto.

The party said it wanted to support families in balancing the pressures of work and home life.

To do this, it promised to allow new mothers to share their paid maternity leave entitlement with fathers after a minimum of six months.

It also pledged to extend paid paternity leave for fathers to four weeks from the current two and work with employers to ensure this can be taken flexibly.

In addition, the manifesto sets out plans to extend the right to request flexible working to older people, which will allow grandparents to take on the responsibility of caring for children and other family members.

The document also includes a commitment to scrap the default retirement age of 65 and examine ways in which older people who want to work for longer can be supported in doing so.

David Cameron's Conservative Party is due to publish its election manifesto later today (April 13th).

• Employment News from Lawpack: Solicitor-approved Maternity, Paternity, Adoption & Parental Leave Policy template with expert guidance on how to complete the legal form

Published on: April 22, 2010

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