The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) brands the shared parental leave (SPL) scheme unnecessarily complex, in a report published this week, ‘Equality at work: paternity and shared parental leave’. It urges the government to give fathers a day-one right to paid leave, and raise paternity pay to the level of maternity pay in the first six weeks.
Its report states that a maximum two weeks’ paternity leave is ‘completely out of step with how most couples want to share their parenting responsibilities’ and ‘entrenches outdated gender stereotypes about caring’.
It recommends phased increases to bring statutory pay for all working parents up to 80% or more of average earnings or the living wage.
WEC chair Sarah Owen MP said the parental leave system was ‘in urgent need of an overhaul to fit with the reality of working parents’ lives’.
The government has promised to hold a full review into parental leave, due by mid-July.
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