Paternity pay increase

Authority set to extend it to 4 weeks

Stirling councillors look set to approve moves to increase paternity entitlement for the authority’s staff to four weeks’ leave on full pay.

At the moment, fathers and partners employed by the council are entitled to a week’s leave on full pay plus a second week off at the statutory paternity rate of £145.18.

Many new dads and partners fail to take up the offer of the second week, often citing financial pressures.

If a proposal to be discussed tomorrow (Thursday) at a meeting of the council’s finance and economy committee is agreed, the paternity leave package will be increased to four weeks on full pay.

Officials estimate that the total cost to the authority will be just over £36,000 a year. That’s an estimate based on an average week’s pay within the council and an assumption – based on last year’s figure – that around 24 staff a year will take up the offer.

Chief human resources officer Kristina Johnson said adopting the proposal would place Stirling Council in a ‘gold standard’ position in relation to paternity leave arrangements. In a report to the committee, she points to international studies which have found a link between longer paternity leave and better maternal wellbeing, reduced incidence of postnatal depression in mother and father and better outcomes for children.

The proposal looks set to be agreed as all three major parties on the council are in favour of it.

Labour finance spokesman Margaret Brisley, convener of the finance and economy committee, said: “By taking away a little of the financial pressures, Labour want to ensure mums and dads can share in both the joy and the work that comes with a new addition to their family.

“I hope by adopting this proposal it sends a message to other employers that they should consider putting in place similar methods in their businesses.”

Tory spokesman Ross Oxburgh, a member of the committee, said: “Hard working families need to be supported when a child is born and this increase will help fathers to be more involved in that crucial first year of their a child’s life.”

SNP finance spokesperson Alison Laurie said: “This is the right thing to do in making sure that new families of council employees are properly supported in the crucial early stages of a child’s life.”

A total of 3,911 staff members (3,373 full time equivalent) are employed across the council’s service areas, according to its latest annual report.

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