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Flexibile parental leave

16.01.13

'Flexible parental leave', the new legislation introduced by the coalition government, could benefit both fathers and mothers in the workplace, but it won't affect self-employed contractors.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced the changes in November, which allows couples to share up to a year's worth of parental leave between them once the mother has taken her compulsory two weeks. It is believed that a woman's career can be highly affected by having to take maternity leave to take care of their child.

Commenting on the changes, Clegg told the BBC: "It's often women who are bosses or who have a particular expertise at work, giving them flexibility to come back to work earlier or indeed to come back to work for a certain period of time to complete a specific task would help many employers rather than hinder them".

Currently, self-employed mothers are entitled to £135.45 Maternity Allowance every week for up to 39 weeks if they match the criteria. Self-employed men, however, are not entitled to any paternity pay.

Under the new law, fathers will be able to take up to 37 weeks out of work with statutory pay to take care of their child as from 2015. If the mother is willing to go back to work earlier, then the father is entitled to the full 50 weeks.

The new legislation is described as flexible as it allows couples to either take the entitled leave together or to do it separately.

Recruitment Companies will be relieved as these changes won't apply to contractors with Consort. By using Consort, agencies don't have employment responsibilities such as Maternity, Paternity or Adoption pay, as well as the raft of other employment legislation such as: working time regulations and sick pay.

Contractors benefit too, as being self-employed allows them to be their own boss; deciding when and where to work, what assignments to take, and negotiate their own charges out rates.

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