Working dads snubbing the chance for shared parental leave at region’s firms

FEWER THAN one in 10,000 Yorkshire employees have taken advantage of a flagship familyfriendly initiative designed to improve work-life balance, according to research unveiled today.

Leeds-based law firm Milners, which also has offices in Harrogate and Pontefract, canvassed the region’s biggest employers to gain a first-hand insight into popularity of shared parental leave (SPL).

Its found that out of more than 56,000 people employed by these private and public-sector organisations, just 54 of them had taken up the option since it was launched by the Government in April 2015.

The findings also highlighted wide disparities in how employers publicised the initiative, and how accessible it was made to their staff.

SPL was introduced by the Government to replace Additional Paternity Leave and, for the first time, entitles both parents to share statutory leave and pay – subject to the eligibility criteria in place – with their partner on the birth or adoption of their child.

Employment law expert and managing partner at Milners Simon Bass said the uptake of SPL was “breathtakingly low”.

He said: “It was trumpeted as a family-friendly policy, designed to help working dads improve their work-life balance, spend more time in a ‘hands-on’ role raising their family, and lift the load from their partners.

“It also offered mums the chance to return to their jobs earlier if they wanted.

“But our analysis would suggest that here in Yorkshire and Humberside there is either little appetite for it, little knowledge about it – or both.”

Mr Bass added: “There is also some anecdotal evidence that some working dads fear discrimination, and that their career prospects may suffer, if they pursue SPL.

“Others who are the main breadwinner in the family say it is simply not an affordable option.”