Carer’s Account ‘would allow men to take parental leave’

Posted 21/07/2011

A new report suggests that under employment law, parents should be able to access a Carer’s Account that may allow fathers to take a greater amount of paternity leave.

According to the Reinventing the Workplace document from Demos, many men do not take the two weeks off they are entitled to when they become a father.

This is because they would not have enough money when only earning statutory paternity pay.

Suggesting a solution, the report recommended the introduction of a Carer’s Account, which works in a similar way to a pension and would be a tax-free way for people to put money aside, HR Magazine explains.

“As it stands, parental leave is expensive for the employee, the employer and the state,” author Dan Leighton said.

“More support for fathers also means more opportunities for mothers to return to work.”

Currently, some employers provide their own paternity pay packages that offer more money than the statutory entitlement.

Individuals looking for information regarding employment law and paternity leave can contact the team at Ashtons Legal.