Government seeks views on shared parental leave

Employment Relations Minister Jo Swinson has announced a new consultation exercise, in which businesses and working families are invited to submit their views on how the system for shared parental leave and pay will work.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:   

"A new system of shared parental leave is not only good news for parents and parents-to-be, but for employers who will benefit from having a workforce that is more flexible and motivated.   

"We now want to hear from working families and employers on how they think this can work in a way that’s simplest all round for those involved."

Responses to the consultation will influence how the Government legislates under the Children and Families Bill 2013, which was introduced earlier this month and includes the proposals for shared parental leave and flexible working.

In addition, a separate consultation has been launched by Acas on a draft Code of Practice for the right to request flexible working.

The Government announced in November last year that it was proposing to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees who have worked for their employer for 26 weeks or more. The Government stated that the current statutory procedure would be repealed, and asked Acas to produce a code of practice to help businesses manage this new extended right.