Additional paternity leave and pay consultation launched
11 July 2007
The Department for Employment and Learning today launched a further public consultation on the new Additional Paternity Leave and Pay scheme.
This consultation, which follows two previous consultations on this new family-friendly measure, focuses on the detail of how the scheme will be administered. The scheme will provide eligible fathers with a right to take up to 26 weeks off work to care for their new-born baby before the child’s first birthday. This will be in addition to the current entitlement to two weeks’ paid paternity leave after the birth. Parents who adopt will receive similar rights.
Under the scheme, fathers will be able to receive Additional Statutory Paternity Pay where the mother returns to work without having used up all of her entitlement to 39 weeks’ maternity pay. In this way, parents will have more choice in how they share the responsibility of caring for a new child.
The Minister for the Department for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey, said: "Families are at the heart of our society. I believe that the work/life balance is extremely important and, if our workforce is well looked after, it will help us to continue to build a sustainable and profitable economy.
“As the Minister with responsibility for employment laws, I want to ensure that we provide an environment that is conducive to maximising productivity. I believe that these family-friendly policies play an important part in achieving this goal.”
The right to Additional Paternity Leave and Pay is likely to come into effect in April 2009 or 2010.
The consultation document seeks views on the most effective ways to administer Additional Paternity Leave and Pay, taking into consideration the Department’s wish to minimise the regulatory burden on employers. The consultation will run until Friday 5th October 2007.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1.The new proposals for Additional Paternity Leave and Pay, (APL&P), are part of a package of family friendly measures introduced in the Work and Families (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. The package also included the extension of paid maternity and adoption leave from 26 weeks to 39 weeks and extending the right to request flexible working to carers of certain adults. These other rights came into operation in April 2007.
2.Further details on the wider package of measures for working families are available from the Department for Employment and Learning’s website at www.delni.gov.uk/workandfamilies 
3.The consultation document and associated integrated impact assessment are also available from the Department for Employment and Learning’s website at http://www.delni.gov.uk/index/additional-paternity-leave-pay-consultation.htm
4.Consultation on the broader APL&P policy has taken place on two previous occasions. The consultation documents, ‘Work and families: choice and flexibility’ (2005) and ‘Work and families: choice and flexibility – consultation on regulations and policy’ (2006), can be downloaded from the Department for Employment and Learning’s consultation archive at www.delni.gov.uk/consultation-zone
5.Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872
6.Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.