Employers hit out at paternity plans
EMPLOYERS’ groups the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) yesterday hit out at new plans for paternity rights, saying they will cause an administrative nightmare.
The new measure, which will let mums who return to work after six months swap their unused six months over to their baby’s father, will push up employment costs for businesses, the groups said.
“We believe the focus in these very difficult times should be on business getting out of this very deep recession,” BCC boss David Frost said.
Meanwhile, the FSB said the administrative burden was the biggest issue. “It’s not the pay, it’s not the leave – it’s the administration,” a spokesman said.