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Consultation on family-friendly policies

The Government has published a consultation document on its proposals for family-friendly working arrangements*.

It includes proposals to:

  • extend maternity pay and adoption pay from six months to nine months from April 2007, with the goal of a year's paid leave by the end of the next parliament;

  • extend mothers' return to work notice period, and improve communication during maternity leave;

  • introduce a right for mothers to transfer a proportion of their paid leave to the child's father;

  • extend the right to request flexible working to carers and parents of older children; and

  • simplify the administration of maternity leave and pay for employers, including considering whether the government should pay parents direct through the Inland Revenue.