Participation, retention and development of skills
The Act will have a real impact on people’s lives benefiting business, parents and, above all, children. It will:
Help working mothers
- Entitlement to 26 weeks paid and a further 26 weeks unpaid maternity leave.
- An increase in the standard rate of Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance from £75 to £100 (or, if less, a weekly rate equal to 90 per cent of the woman's average weekly earnings).
- Over 300, 000 mothers each year will benefit from the increases in Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance and the extension to the period covered by the payments to 26 weeks.
Recognise the role fathers and adoptive parents play in caring for their new children and supporting their partner
- 2 weeks paid paternity leave for working fathers.
- 26 weeks paid and a further 26 weeks unpaid leave for working adoptive parents.
- Simpler rules governing maternity, paternity and adoption leave and pay.
- Paternity and adoption pay at the same rate as maternity pay.
Facilitate flexible working
- From 6 April 2003, for the first time mothers and fathers of young children under six, or disabled children under 18, will have a right to request a flexible working arrangement.
- Employers will have a statutory duty to consider such requests seriously and according to a set procedure. They will only be able to refuse requests where they have a clear business reason.
Help business
- Employers will benefit, as new parents with their valuable skills and knowledge will be encouraged to stay in work rather than leave to care full-time for their new families.
- Increased notification periods for a woman’s start and early return date from maternity leave.
- Advance recovery of Statutory Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay from Inland Revenue.
- Reimbursement of maternity, paternity and adoption payments made by employers, with a full 100% recoverable by small employers and an additional payment on top.