As part of the government's childcare reforms, Labour is planning to introduce proposals to offer fathers six months' unpaid paternity leave.
At present, new fathers are entitled to two consecutive weeks' paid leave. Those who are eligible are paid by the government £117.18 (from 6 April 2008) per week or 90 per cent (whichever is less) of their average weekly earnings, but around fifty per cent of firms do provide their employees with full pay during this fortnight.
If the proposals become law, new fathers will be able to take five and a months' unpaid leave in addition to the existing two weeks' paternity leave and this time off will not be affected by the mother's decision on whether she too will take leave. However, it has been suggested that the proposals will include that the father will only be able to take time off once the mother has returned to work and leave must be taken before the child reaches his or her first birthday.
Ministers believe that these reforms will give more flexibility to parents so that they can 'mix and match' their childcare in the first six months. The mother can take off the first three months, for example, and then the father can take off the following three.
Although, this will be good news for couples juggling careers and children, business groups have been angered by these reforms. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) believes that this will put a lot of pressure on small firms and will be expensive to organise.
Q&A: Paternity leave
When can I take paternity leave?
Leave can start on any day of the week on or following the baby's birth, but it must be completed within eight weeks of the actual date of birth (or eight weeks after the expected date of birth if the baby is born early). If you are adopting a child, then leave must be completed within eight weeks of the date of the child's placement.
Who is eligible?
You must be the biological father or adopter of the child or be the mother's husband or partner (including same-sex partners) and be responsible for the child's upbringing. You must be an employee who has worked for at least 26 weeks continuously by the 15th week before the baby is due. To qualify for paid leave, you must be earning an average of at least £90 a week (before tax)
When do I notify my boss?
You must tell your employer the expected week of the baby's birth (or if the baby has already been born, the actual date of the child's birth), when the leave will start and how much leave you want to take.
If you qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), you must tell your employer when you intend to take leave by the 15th week before your baby is due, or within seven days of your wife, partner or civil partner being told by the adoption agency that they have been matched with a child. Your employer may ask you to complete a 'SC3 - Becoming a parent' form, available from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
1 April 2008