29/01/2010 - Row over paternity leave plans
Fathers have been granted the right to six months' paternity leave, half of which will be paid, in a move by the Government which has been slammed by business leaders.
The change will provide families with more flexibility and choice as parents will be able to share their leave, ministers said. The changes will come into effect from April next year.
Business leaders have questioned the timing as the UK recovers from the recession. One captain of industry called the move "madness".
David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "In order for businesses to get on with creating jobs, the constant threat of tinkering to employment law - from both parties - must stop.
"The next government needs to create the right regulatory environment that will encourage companies to take on more staff and drive economic recovery. There should be a commitment to a three-year moratorium on the implementation of new employment regulation."
Julian Hunt, the Food and Drink Federation's director of communications, said: "Given the fragility of the economic recovery, it is madness to announce yet another regulatory measure that will generate extra burden for employers."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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