Fathers And The Workplace

The Women and Equalities Committee has published a report highlighting what it sees as the difficulties that fathers face in balancing their careers with childcare responsibilities. The report makes a series of proposals which aim to put men and women on a more equal footing when it comes to maternity and paternity leave. The most headline grabbing recommendation is that fathers should receive one month's leave at 90% of their salary (capped for higher earners) when their wife or partner has a baby and a further two months of paternity leave at £141 a week, without any loss of rights for the mother.

The report also suggests a new policy of 12 weeks dedicated childcare leave for a father in a child's first year as an alternative to Shared Parental Leave, and recommends that paternity leave should be available for all employees, not just fathers, who have worked continuously for their employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the child is due.