Proposed increase in paid maternity leave

Draft legislation has been passed by a EU Committee to extend maternity leave to 20 weeks on full pay. This proposal will go before the full European Parliament and to the Council of Ministers before the outcome is known in 12-18 months time.

Under current UK legislation maternity leave should be paid at 90 per cent of salary for six weeks, followed by 33 weeks at a statutory minimum rate (55% higher than Statutury Sick Pay) and then up to 13 weeks unpaid.
Exisitng EU laws, in place since 1992, require a minimum of 14 weeks leave, paid at a statutory rate that must be at least at the level of sick pay.

There have been protests from the UK Employment Relations Minister, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Forum of Private Business.¬† Their concerns are the impact on business of funding the increased entitlement and that extending the UK’s generous payments would upset the current balance between the needs of business and workers.

Recent research by FPB found that almost half of FPB members (46%) believe maternity and paternity laws seriously hinder their businesses, and an overwhelming 84% were unhappy for maternity leave to be extended to 12 months.